OLSIM SIBLINGS GIVE BACK TO HOMETOWN, BUILD GYM TO FIND MMA TALENTS

IN the heart of Bokod, Benguet, a small town nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of the Cordillera mountain range, a new source of inspiration and empowerment has emerged.

Jenelyn “The Graceful Warrior” Olsim has returned to her roots to give back to her community in a profound and meaningful way.

With her older brother, Jerry, by her side, they have established the Olsim-Dasdas Martial Arts Gym, creating a platform to cultivate the next generation of talents from her beloved hometown.

“I’ve always carried our hometown with me in every step of my journey. Establishing this gym alongside my brother is more than just a dream come true—it’s a heartfelt commitment to giving back to the community that raised us,” she said. She had her first share of the spotlight through Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series in October 2018, prevailing over Claudia Diaz by way of a unanimous decision.

Although she fell short in her second outing nearly a year later, Olsim still made it to ONE Championship’s main roster in March 2021, guring in a bout where she left a lasting impression by forcing Maira Mazar to tap with a guillotine choke in the third round.

Inside the Circle, “The Graceful Igorot” went on to pick up victories over the likes of Bi Nguyen and Julie Mezabarba. Olsim’s accomplishments on the global stage brought immense pride to Bokod. Every win she secured was celebrated not just by her family, but by the entire municipality.

Despite her growing fame, she remained deeply connected to her old stomping grounds and never forgot the support and encouragement she received from her fellow Bokodians.

“I am immensely grateful for the unwavering support that they have shown me throughout my journey. Now, I am more inspired than ever to give back to the community that shaped me,” she states.

She and Jerry inaugurated their training facility last July 15. The occasion was attended by prominent figures in the combat sports industry, including former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang and several members of Lions Nation MMA.

During the opening ceremony, the siblings announced that the OlsimDasdas Martial Arts Gym would now become an official affiliate of Lions Nation MMA.

In addition, Olsim will represent the newly-formed stable under the ONE Championship banner from now on.

EX-PH BOOTER ENDURES LONG FLIGHT TO BACK FILIPINAS IN WORLD CUP

FOR the love of the beautiful game and spending on her own, former national player Miriam Merlin endured a taxing 23-hour plane journey just to show her support for the Filipinas making their debut in the FIFA Women’s World Cup here.

“I am here because sobrang history, eh. Something na hindi dapat i-miss ng mga sports fans,” Merlin, who once played under the national women’s squad handled by the late revered coach Orlando Plagata, said in a chance interview at a hotel here Thursday.

To save funds, Merlin, who was tapped as the youngest national women’s team recruit at 17 during the 1993 Philippine National Games in Baguio City, revealed that she took a ight on budget carrier Air Asia, with stopovers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Sydney, Australia, before arriving here.

“I arrived here at 4 o’clock in the afternoon last Wednesday kasi gusto ko makita maglaro ang Filipinas,”added the former PH player, who is the coach of the muti-titled La Salle-Lipa high school girls squad for the last 25 years and a Grade 9 PE teacher at the institution. She showed a copy of her old Philippine Football Federation ID card that she keeps as a treasured memento as proof that she one carried the country’s colors in international play, adding that among her contemporaries was former national women’s coaches Leticia “Buda”

Bautista and Lelet Dimzon.

“Lahat kami nag-laro kay sir Plagy. Marami kaming natutunan sa kanya,” said Merlin endearingly of the low-key mentor, who also won several women’s football championships for PUP and FEU. Although she was unable to savor success in the regular 11-aside football, she cherished the bronze medal that the national women’s futsal squad coached by Manny Batungbacal won in the 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games in the Thai capital of Bangkok. That medal remains as the only one that the country has garnered in international futsal play.

Merlin, who was in the process of completing the nal grades of her students back home, added that she was able to get permission from her school supervisor to witness the Filipinas in action in the blue-ribbon competition featuring the best world women’s football players.

She was accompanied by her former La Salle-Lipa player, Kathleen de Torres, who now works in this city as a nurse, to the rst Group A match between host New Zealand and Norway at the iconic Eden Park on Thursday.

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As part of the celebrations, Japanese musical groio Tsukuyomi has released the theme song of Dragon Nest 2: Evolution, If I Knew It Was A Dream, to commemorate the big day, blending both the English and Japanese languages for a unique listening experience. https://youtu.be/IJ5kXXQYdw0

“This song expresses the anticipation and trepidation of journeying to an undiscovered world, as well as the immense joy upon making the rst steps. It’s a song full of passion and sadness, representing the fact that although reality can be tough, we still forge forward with dreams and hope, just like players in Dragon Nest 2: Evolution,” shared YurryCanon of Tsukuyomi.

DRAGON NEST 2: EVOLUTION

KEY FEATURES

As an IP with a glorious legacy, Dragon Nest 2: Evolution has been designed and optimized speci cally for mobile players, and is accessible to both veteran fans and casual beginners.

PIck from four unique classes and team up against powerful bosses, utilizing interesting skills for synergistic action! No fear of being left behind, with a player-driven economy allowing all to play how you want and when you want.

REIGN OF SERPENTRA

The o cial launch of the MMORPG also means the beginning of The Grand Dragon Hunt, starting with the villainous Sea Dragon, Serpentra. Players may have gotten an earlier tease of how the mode functioned in the lead up to launch, but the full event is on a much larger scale. Players can undertake daily quests and achievement hunts to prepare themselves, teaming up with likeminded allies, and compete against all other players in a full server competition for honor and glory of their represented countries.

As each dragon falls, higher-ranking players and teams can look forward to glorious rewards and incentives for their hard work and e ort.

BUILDING A NEW LEGACY https://youtu.be/U-sR7QQa_A8

As an IP with a glorious history, Dragon Nest 2: Evolution has been designed and optimized specifically for mobile players, and is accessible to both veteran fans and casual beginners.