Filipino karate kids hit paydirt

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines bagged three gold medals in age-group competitions at the fifth Asia-Pacific Goju-Kai Karate-do Championships in Bangkok recently with PBA legend Samboy Lim’s 14-year-old daughter Jamie showing the way in the 14-15 girls kumite.

There were 13 countries represented in the competition which brought over highly touted entries from Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and host Thailand.

Richard Lim of the Association for the Advancement of Karate-do (AAK) headed the Philippine delegation made up of six athletes and coach Rex Resurrecion. Aside from Lim, the other Filpino gold medalists were Nadene Flores in the 10-11 girls kumite and Jose Habalo in the 10-11 boys kumite. Rounding up the Philippine team were Alenn Castro in the 14-15 boys kumite, Alisa Cifra in the 16-17 girls kumite and Hana Oba in the 12-13 girls kumite.

“This Goju was really a tough competition because the format was a knockout system – one loss and you’re out,” said Lim’s mother Lelen Berberabe, a lawyer who was recently appointed Pag-Ibig Fund president. “Our team fought hard. They deserve some recognition for their efforts particularly as they did our country proud.”

The Philippines did not join the kata event and concentrated on the individual kumite competitions for boys and girls.

Lim turned 14 the day before the tournament started so competing in the 14-15 age group classified her as the “baby” in the girls kumite category. Still, the brown belter from Immaculate Concepcion Academy had no difficulty mowing down the opposition, sweeping her four assignments. The scores in her bouts weren’t close as she disposed of Thailand, 5-2, Australia, 8-3, Thailand again, 8-2, and in the finals, another Thai bet, 8-0.

An incoming high school freshman, Lim learned karate when she was six and has trained seriously since joining her first tournament in 2004. Her sensei is Resurrecion and her kumite coach is Sonny Montalvo. Lim’s dream is to follow her father Samboy’s footsteps and become a national athlete.

 “Jamie hopes to join the national team when she is qualified,” said her mother. “She has a few more years to develop her skills and gain more exposure until she turns 16.”

Lim said competing for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian and Asian Games would be a dream come true. That’s her immediate goal. As for her career, Lim said she’d like to be a lawyer like her mother. But her inspiration is her father Samboy, the legendary PBA “Skywalker.”

Lim took the gold in individual kumite and the bronze in individual kata at the 18th Kobe-Osaka World Cup in Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2009 and was a double gold medalist in kumite and kata at the sixth Korea Open International Championships in Busan last year. In 2009, she won two gold medals in kumite and kata at the third Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Flores, 11, went through the wringer to earn her gold medal. She was unbeaten in five bouts, thrashing Thailand, 8-1, India, 6-0, Australia, 5-2, Thailand again, 6-3, and in the finals, another Thai contender, 10-3 in extension after a 5-5 standoff.

Flores is a Grade 6 student at the Community of Learners. She started karate at six and lists former Tarzan movie star Johnny Weismuller as her sports hero for setting 67 world records in swimming and never losing a single competition. “My dream is for karate to become an Olympic sport and become an Olympic gold medalist,” she said. “I also want to become a good lawyer.”

Habalo, 10, was unscathed in four bouts, defeating India, 10-2, Thailand, 11-3, Australia, 3-2, and in the finals, another Australian bet, 5-3. The Grade 5 student of Xavier School began karate at four and now is a purple 4 belter. Habalo joined his first tournament in 2006 and has brought home medals from competitions in Singapore, Malaysia, Beijing, Korea and Thailand. One thing Habalo is proud of is he has defeated every Russian opponent he has faced in international meets. His sports heroes are Chris Tiu, Samboy Lim, Dirk Nowitzki, Mario Lemeiux of hockey, Tom Brady of the National Football League, wrestler Sin Cara Mystico and Lyoto Machida of the Ultimate Fighting Championships.

“My parents enrolled me at AAK for a summer activity so I could learn discipline,” said Habalo. “I enjoyed karate from Day 1 and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Castro, Cifra and Oba lost in the first round. Castro bowed to the eventual gold medalist from Kazakhstan while Oba was beaten by Thailand and Cifra by Iran.

Castro, 14, is a first year high school student from La Salle Greenhills. He began karate at 10 and has won medals from competitions in Malaysia and Korea. Castro was often picked on and bullied in school being small and quiet. He learned karate to stand up and defend himself.

Cifra, 16, is a high school senior at La Salle Zobel where she has been named outstanding athlete since 2004-05. She was a junior ambassador to the Asian Pacific Children Convention in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2006. Oba, 12, is a Grade 7 student from St. Paul College of Pasig. The Fil-Japanese athlete has tried ballet, violin, guitar, swimming and soccer but karate is her first love. Her dream is to become a karate black belter. She intends to take up veterinary medicine or law.