Baguio warriors give wushu golden finish

JAKARTA – Brave Igorot cousins Mark Eddiva and Eduard Folayang literally and figuratively gave the Philippine team a strong finishing kick in the 26th SEA Games wushu competitions, topping their respective sanshou (combat) categories in dominant fashion.

The Philippine team was still without a gold in the fading light of wushu actions when old heroes Eddiva and Folayang struck, sending the Phl crowd to a frenzied celebration at the Senayan Tennis Indoor Center.

Eddiva, 25, outclassed Indon rival Youne Victorio Senduk for the men’s 65kg championship while Folayang, 27, was more impressive, knocking out Laotian foe Udon Khansay in the second round for the 70kg title.

Four Filipino bets made the sanshou finals but Mariane Mariano and Benjie Rivera settled for silver, both beaten by Vietnamese opponents.

Earlier in the day, the Philippines placed second in men’s duilian and third in women’s duilian, and Phl wushu secretary general Julian Camacho had looked restless with only two Filipinos left standing.

With tremendous pressures and all, Eddiva and Folayang delivered in the last two events in the competitions.

Eddiva, the 2002 World Cup bronze medalist who holds a 5-0 record in the fast-growing MMA (mixed martial arts) sport, ended the Phl team’s search for gold in battering Senduk.

Hitting and grappling very well, Eddiva disposed of the Indon in straight rounds (two).

“He gave me a good fight but I was there confident, and it helped,” said Eddiva, successfully defending the championship he won in Laos in 2009.

Folayang returned in the biennial games in style, knocking out Khansay with a turning side kick to cap his golden feat here.

“I’m very happy I’m back representing the country in the SEA Games. Making me happier is bringing honor to the country,” said Folayang.

The Baguio warrior pocketed a third SEAG gold medal following triumphant feats in 2003 and 2005. He was out of the games in 2007 and 2009 when the 70kg category was scrapped.

Folayang, a former PE teacher at the University of the Cordilleras, is the current welterweight champion in the URCC.