The Philippines, led by world champion Fierre Afan, finished second in the recent 2024 United World Wrestling (UWW) Asian Grappling Championship at the Tagaytay Combat Sports Arena in Tagaytay City.
Afan, 20, captured two gold medals in the week-long tournament to lead the country to a 16-gold, 26-silver and 26-bronze medal-haul in the event dominated by Kazakhstan.
Showing their might, the Kazakhs clincheds 39 golds. A far third was Singapore with two gold medals, five silvers and three bronzes.
“I’m very happy not only I won two gold medals but also seeing my fellow Filipinos winning golds also in Tagaytay City,” said Afan. “We proved that we could get along with powerhouse Asian teams like Kazakhstan in this combat sport of grappling.”
Afan bested Kazakhstan’s Alinur Beisen in the final of -77 kgs grappling gi event to cop his first gold after dominating India’s Rhagav Jamwal, Han Rong Darren Foo of Singapore and fellow Mib Burahan in previous bouts.
He repeated over Beisen in the grappling no gi men’s -77 kgs championship to secure his second gold medal in the competition backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by President Abraham Tolentino and the LCS Group of Companies.
Besides Afan, rising stars Andrea Ocampo, Charlie Ratcliff and Annie Parungao bagged two gold medals each in the competition hosted by the Wrestling Association of the Philippines (WAP) headed by President Alvin Aguilar.
Other gold medalists in the men’s class were Miguel Gutierrez (-58 kgs gi), Lucas Mateo Holganza (53 kgs gi U-15), Joaquin Marte (-63 kgs gi), Alonso Lucas Aguilar (-63 kgs gi), the son of Alvin Aguilar, and Joshua Dy (-84 kgs gi).
In women’s class, the gold winners were Yani Lopez (-48 kgs no gi), Clarisse Pasamba (-48 kgs gi), Ella Olaso (-52 kgs gi) and Miriam Balisme (-60 kgs no gi).
Other Filipino men’s gi U-20 medalists were Callum Johnston Roberts (silver in men’s grappling gi U-20 silver), Joshua Dy (84 kgs silver), Mohammed Mib (bronze 77 kgs), Denzel Alipio (66 kgs silver), Joaquin Marte (63 kgs silver), Lord Gabriel del Rosario (58 kgs silver), Miguel Gutierrez (58 kgs bronze), men’s grappling gi U15 were Angelo Lucian Salud (73 kgs bronze), Albert Custodio (53 kg silver), Caleb Paul Crisostomo (47 kgs bronze), and Andreas Lucho Aguilar (men’s grappling gi U-17 63 kgs bronze).
Women’s grappling gi U-20 medalists were Miriam Grace Balisme (58 kg silver), gi U-15 medalists Samantha Lubon (57kg silver), Yani Lopez (57kg bronze) and Chloe Emmanuelle Isidro (48 kg silver).
