The Philippines capped off its campaign in the 2023 World Combat Games in Riyadh with a bang after Darius Venerable won the men’s freestyle individual poomsae last Monday.
Venerable scored 9.280 points to edge out South Korea’s Lee Namhum, who scored 9.2 points and Darren Yap Zong Han of Singapore, who had 9.1 points, for the gold.
It was the Philippines’ third gold medal in the tournament after Kaila Napolis’s success in the women’s 52-kilogram ne-waza event and the triumph of Rhichien Yosorez and Kylie Mallari in the mixed Mai Muay event.
Also, Juvenile Crisostomo and Justine Macario bagged the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle mixed pair in poomsae while Rudzma Abubakar settled for a silver medal in the women’s -48-kg event.
The Philippines finished the tournament with 13 medals with a 3-5-5 gold-silver-bronze medal tally.
Ariel Lampacan and Phillip Delarmino snagged a silver medal in the mixed Mai Muay event while Islay Bomogao also got a silver medal in the women’s Wai Kru event.
In wushu, Agatha Wong placed second in the women’s Taolu Taijiquan and Taijijian and Clemente Tabugara Jr. in the men’s Sanda 65-kg event.
Two more bronze medals came from wushu as Thornton Quieney Lou Sayan placed third in the men’s Taolu Nanquan and Nangun and Jones Llabres Inso got into the podium of the men’s Taolu Taijiquan and Taijijian.
Wrestlers Maria Aisa Ratcliff of the women’s grappling GI 53-kg and Fierre Afan of the men’s grappling GI 71-kg class secured two more bronze medals for the Philippines.
