Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) president Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, middle, with members of the arnis national team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games here. (Waylon Galvez)
By WAYLON GALVEZ
With 20 gold medals at stake, the national team of arnis hopes to capture more than half of it and contribute to the country’s bid to win the overall championship in the 30th Southeast Asian Games here.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, president of the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation, said Friday that the athletes have done well during training and are ready to show what they are capable of against the best in the region.
“We’re very optimistic with the chances of our athletes. Of course, there is pressure also for us to deliver because arnis is our national sport,” said Zubiri, a practitioner of the combat sport.
Arnis competition is set Dec. 1 to 3 at the Angeles University Foundation.
The sport is making a return to SEA Games action after it was first introduced as a demonstration sport when the country last staged the biennial meet 14 years ago in 2005.
That time, the Philippines accounted for three gold medals and three silvers to match the medal output of Vietnam.
Zubiri still expects Vietnam to be the main threat, while Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei are likewise expected to vie for the gold in various weight division in the men’s and women’s categories.
Nevertheless, the legislator said he is counting on the arnis artists to deliver between 11 to 12 gold medals.
“We have a total of 20 golds in arnis, and we are pushing for the overall championship. We’d be happy to win majority of the events…11 to 12 golds to help boost our overall medal tally,” said Zubiri.
Source: Manila Bulletin
Xtra Sports ph 