Lapu-Lapu karatekas shine in Batang Pinoy

The young karatekas of the Lapu-Lapu City chalked up an impressive performance in the recent Batang Pinoy Visayas Leg held in Tacloban City last week.

The Lapu-Lapu karatekas of Sensei Reynante Vidal bagged a total of seven golds and three bronze medals in the meet.

Their performance was a good follow up to the team’s scintillating efforts in the 2nd World Shoto Cup 2012 held recently at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Gerald Baclaan and Felix Calipusan led the team as they both won three gold medals in the individual kumite and kata events as well as in the team advance kata.

Baclaan hauled the gold medal in the 39-kilogram boys kumite, kata and team kata along with Calipusan, who lorded the 35kg boys kata and kumite.

Also winning a gold medal in the team advance kata event is Jeremy Nopre. He also won two bronze medals in the 44kg boys kata and kumite.

Meanwhile, Vidal said the team filed a formal complaint to the officials of the karatedo event of the Batang Pinoy after they were allegedly taunted by parents and a coach from team Cebu City during the competition.

He said this incident resulted to a heated argument between the coaches of both teams.

“We thank God that despite of the humiliation we got during the competition, we emerged the champions,” said Vidal. “We will just pray that we will still succeed in the national finals.”

Yesterday, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza honored the team in a courtesy call to her office.

She promised to continue helping the team, which also had good performances in the Philippine-Karatedo Federation-National Sports Association (PKF-NSA) competition at the PhilSports Arena in Metro Manila and the 2012 Philippine National Games (PNG) in Dumaguete.

“I thank the Lapu-Lapu City government, especially Mayor Radaza, for helping us,” said Vidal.

Vidal and his team will be representing Lapu-Llapu again in the national finals of Batang Pinoy in Iloilo next month.