- NIDA A. BUENAFE
Hoisting high the banner of ISKF-KFS Bacolod, the trio of Pauline Miyu Kalaw, Sheena Daicey Donesa, and Andrea Hom were crowned champions in the Team Kata Girls’ category of the 4th Karatedo Region 6 Championship Series held Nov. 12 in Iloilo City.
The three young champions are all Grade 7 students, with Kalaw enrolled at Bacolod Tay Tung High School, while Donesa is from St. John Institute, and Hom is a La Sallian from the University of St. La Salle-IS.
The 12-year-old Kalaw also won the gold medal in advance kata and settled for silver in 150cm kumite, while 13-year-old Hom placed first in +150cm kumite and second in advance kata. Donesa bagged two silver medals in novice and intermediate kata.
Seven-year-old Marianita Felisa Tacdoro of BTTS added to the medal haul of KFS Bacolod with a golden performance in both the intermediate kata and 122cm kumite, while Merliah Gerafil, 10, from Trinity Christian School finished with a silver in intermediate kata and bronze in +140cm kumite.
Joining them in the podium was 12-year-old Gift Gabrielle Tandugon of Negros Occidental High School, who won the silver medal in the newbie kata.
In the boys’ competition, 8-year-old KFS Bacolod karateka Parnaam Singh of SJI captured three gold medals in intermediate, advance kata, and -122 kumite, while his teammate Nathan Tandugon from Estefania Elementary School, won the gold in novice kata and bronze in +122cm kumite.
Other medalists for KFS Bacolod are Francis Zohann Kalaw, 10, from BTTHS, with two silver medals from intermediate kata and -140cm kumite; Gurjot Grewal, 10, from USLS-IS, gold in novice and intermediate kata and silver in +140cm kumite; Jeremiah Andrew Kalaw, gold in novice kata and silver in intermediate kata.
Carlo Barias gave the team another gold medal in boys’ advance kata and bronze in -150cm kumite while Justine Mark Germo completed the medal harvest with a gold in intermediate kata and bronze in +150cm kumite.
The young karatekas are mentored by Sensei Randy Mengullo and Sensei Elan Delfin, with Gerrine Kaye Perez and Ferlie Mae Lall as coaches./NAB
