Filipino athletes learning Cambodia’s Kun Bokator

By Randy Caluag

COMPETING for the first time in the Cambodian traditional sport of Kun Bokator, the Philippines is expected to compete at the highest level against rivals in Southeast Asia.

This was the assessment of Sambo Pilipinas president Paolo Tancontian, who will act as Deputy Chef de Mission in charge of combat sports in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games slated in May in Cambodia.

“May laban tayo. Magagaling naman tayo (Filipinos) basta sa striking,” said Tancontian on the second day of the seminar conducted by the Cambodia Kun Bokator officials, coaches and athletes at the Tagaytay International Convention Center.

Kun Bokator is one of the indigenous sports included by the host country in the list of sports for the biennial games, offering a total of 21 gold medals, including 9 in combat and 12 in forms techniques.

Those, who attended were from kickboxing, muay thai, wrestling, pencak silat, Kyokushin karate, and sambo, to absorb the techniques.

“The usual striking techniques pa pero maraming variations sa tuhod and clinching and throws,” said Glenn Mondol, coach of Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas.

Kun Bokator has been practiced as a traditional martial art in Cambodia since the 12th century.

In the coming SEA Games, it focuses more on kicking and knee-striking techniques.

The special jumping knee offers 5 points if properly executed. Throws, takedowns, and kicks to the head are worth 2 points. Punch to face and body

Two Cambodian athletes demonstrate how to play the Kun Bokator sport. Randy Caluag equals one point. Cambodian Bokator officials are making rounds in Southeast Asian member countries to promote the sport and attract participation. At least four countries are needed to have the sports played in the games. The three-day seminar was hosted by Philippine Olympic Committe president and Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino, with the support of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Nakajima grabs lead as Woon fades in the wind

TAGAYTAY—Toru Nakajima took command with a gutsy 70 in blustery conditions, wresting a two-stroke lead over erstwhile leader U Minn Woon and four others, including amateurs Gab Manotoc and Russell Bautista, halfway through the Philippine Golf Tour QSchool at Splendido Taal here yesterday.

Nakajima, the 2013 PGT winner at Wack Wack who placed runner-up to Angelo Que in his last Tour stint at Anvaya Cove in 2017, used a hot backside start to recover from an opening 73, birdying the par-5 Nos. 10 and 11 then picking up another stroke on No. 3 while bucking the strong winds. He, however, fumbled with a bogey on No. 5 for a 36-34.

But he seized the solo lead at 143, towing 50 others to the final two rounds of the 72-hole elims offering 35 cards for this year’s PGT beginning with the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic on March 15-18.

It was the comebacking Elmer Salvador, however, who made the biggest jump as the 2009 Order of Merit win ner rattled off four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 2 on his way home to match Woon’s best 69 Tuesday. From the brink with an opening 80, Salvador, who also birdied Nos. 16 and 17 against a double-bogey on No. 18 and a bogey on the first hole, moved to joint ninth at 149 with Josh Jorge, who carded a 75. winWoon, who opened tried to pull away with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6. But just when thought he had the firm and dry Splendido layout all figured out, he lost his rhythm and touch in high winds, bogeying Nos. 8 and 9, yielding more strokes on Nos. 12 and 14 and dropping two shots on the par-3 No. 17.

The 28-year-old Malaysian, who vied at home before competing here and will fly to Thailand next week, skied to a 76 and fell into a tie for second at 145 with

Manotoc, Bautista, Salahog and Korean Hyun

Ho Rho.

Manotoc, a former SEA Games national team member, rebounded from a 74 with a 71, anchoring his fightback with a closing frontside 35 marked by three birdies against two bogeys, while Bautista bucked a two-bogey mishap at the front with three straight birdies from No. 10.

But the 22-year-old bidder from Mactan, Cebu wavered with two bogeys against a birdie in the last five holes to settle for a 72.

Rho, who turned pro in Europe last year but who now calls Mount Malarayat his home, mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys for a 72 while Salahog stumbled with four bogeys against two birdies and limped with a 74.

Others who advanced in the elims organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. were Japanese Gen Nagai, winner of the Philippine Junior crown in 2014, who also matched par 72 for a 146, Hong Kong’s Michael Wong (73-148), and amateurs Jonas Magcalayo and Leandro Bagtas, who pooled identical 150s after 73 and 75, respectively, for joint 11th with Rene Menor and Carlos Packing, who shot 77 and 78, respectively.

Team Underdogs leads Army Navy Club200 Endurance Race champions

TEAMS Underdogs, KARAT, Desert X, Gucci Gang and Hyper Boys made history as they emerged the first champions of the 2023 Army Navy Club200 Endurance Race on Saturday at the Clark International Speedway.

The Underdogs, composed of riders Christopher Guzman, Paolo Aguilar, Alvin Almendras won the premier Adventure 19 Class, with a best time of 2:16.186 in the novel, first-of-its-kind motorsports spectacle featuring two-three rider teams sharing just one transponder for the entire run of approximately 200 kilometers, with each participant riding at least 50 laps.

They were followed by the Triumph Adventure Team and Boss Team A. “It was en exhilarating experience to all participants, an entire day of thrilling action at the speedway. Everyone had a blast,” said Red Romero, past president and one of the founding members of the organizing Club200.

Meanwhile, Team KARAT, which was comprised of riders Jan Timbol, Gico Tobias and Jomel Policar- pio, ruled the Adventure 17 category, with a best time of 2:06.922 in the motorsports extravaganza presented by Army Navy, BMW Motorrad Ducati, KTM BGC, Pirelli, Angkas, Evo Helmets, APRILIA, Juan Life, Hotel 101, Clutch Moto and Merry Mart, and powered by Wheeltek, Triumph, Harley Davidson of Manila and Motoworld, with Manila Bulletin and C! Magazine as media partners.

Second placer in the Adventure 17 was Rosario Bikes Racing Team.

The Adventure 21 class had Desert X, composed of riders Jade Tan, Joey Almeda and Ryan Benton, ruling the competiton with a best time of 2:20.338, with KTM PH Team 2 and KTM PH Team 1, placing runner-up and third, respectively. With riders Jan Timbol, Christopher Guzman and Justin Guce leading the way, the Gucci Gang topped the Sportsbike Division with a best time of 2:00.233. The Kawasaki IGM Racing Team placed second, followed by Wheeltek QTS Racing Team.