Hergie, pals stamp class in Asian meet

MANILA, Philippines — Hergie Bacyadan is a Filipino athlete with many hats.

Over the weekend, Bacyadan, who saw action in boxing in last August’s Paris Olympics, showed brilliance in another combact sport, delivering one of the Philippines’ four gold medals in the Asian Kickboxing Championships in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The 29-year-old Kalinga fighter overwhelmed Chinese Jinwei Teng in the women’s K1-70-kilogram division via abandonment for another feather on her cap, adding to her accomplishments as a vovinam and wushu practitioner in the past.

The triumph secured her a spot to the World Combat Games next year in Chengdu, China.

Meanwhile, Carlo Von Buminaang reigned supreme in the men’s 67kg lowkick category while Jovan Medallo scooped up a pair of mints in the musical forms with weapon and open hand.

Janah Lavador picked up three bronzes in musical forms with weapon, without weapon and creative form with weapon sections.