Gregorio, Laruan toy with muaythai opposition

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the national team and national pool led by Jay Harold Gregorio and Zaidi Laruan, the country’s top gold-medal prospects for the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games, steamrolled the opposition in the two-day 2009 National Muaythai Championship held at the Sta. Lucia East Great Mall in Cainta, Rizal at the heels of Typhoon Ondoy.

Zamboanga City’s Gregorio, silver medalist in the 2008 World Muaythai Championship, pummeled into submission the game Charles Saavedra of Tacurong City to rule the 67-kg category.

La Trinidad, Benguet’s Laruan, runner-up in the 2009 Asian Martial Arts Games (AMAG), convincingly outpointed national pool greenhorn Jay Leomar Malubay of Cagayan de Oro in the -60kg finals.

Laruan was adjudged most outstanding male boxer, tighting his grip on the year’s most improved boxer accolade won by Gregorio last year.

Sole survivor of the nationals’ juggernaut in the tourney presented by PTT Philippines Corporation was Quezon City’s Danilo Dilag, former national team member, who turned the tables on veteran internationalist Ronnie Catampatan of Antipolo City in the -51 class.

Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Sta. Lucia East Great Mall, Phillippine National Red Cross and Victory Liner supported the local muaythai season-ending event.

Organizing Muay Association of the Philippines OIC and secretary general Red Dumuk and PTT Philippines Corporation president Khun Siripong Phuongpaka presided over the awarding ceremonies.

The lady quartet of May Libao (-45kg) of Zamboanga City, Maricel Subang (-48kg) of Benguet, Preiciosa Ocaya (-51kg) of Laguna and Ana Marie Rey (-54kg) of Quezon City – bronze medalist all in the 2009 AMAG-underscored their readiness for the 2009 SEA Games.

Libao, Subang, Ocaya and Rey taught their respective opponents – Misamis Oriental’s Jocelyn Bauyan and Las Piñas’ Janelyn Sevillano and Baguio City’s Violeta Lagawad a neat lesson in the “science of eight limbs.”

Subang and Rey shared the “most outstanding female boxer” award.

Two-time world champion Roland Claro of Zamboanga City breezed past Johnny Blanca of Makati City for the under 48kg gold medal while 2008 Prince Cup champion Jonathan Polosan of Cagayan de Oro had even easier time against Jaspe Lim of Zamboanga City in the under 63.5 kg.

Other gold medal winners were Benedicto Alumno (Baguio ) over Eugene Toquero (Cebu City) in -54kg class, Ryan Jakiri (Zamboanga City) over Tyrone Naticho (Ifugao) in -57kg and Jessie Bitaga (Baguio) over Mark Anthony Gecalao (Lipa) in under 45kg.