SEAG Karate champ Tsukii, 1st place sa Serbian Tourney

ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | December 1, 2020

Patuloy sa pamamayagpag sa isinasagawang training sa bansang Serbia si 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Junna Tsukii kasunod ng matagumpay na 1st place finish sa naganap na Karate training camp championship Tournament nitong nagdaang Sabado.

Napagwagian ng 29-anyos na Filipino-Japanese karateka ang women’s 55kgs category laban sa lima pang katunggali kabilang na si World No. 6 Valeria Kumizaki ng Brazil.

Nagsumite ng panalo ang 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games under-50kgs bronze medalists’ ng mga panalo sa first round sa iskor na 6-0; 2nd round 8-0; 3rd round 3-0; 4th round 3-0 at final round na 1-1.

Mula sa imbitasyon na magsanay sa Serbia kasama ang mga pinakamahuhusay na karateka mula Brazil, Switzerland, Slovakia at Croatia, lumipad mag-isa patungong Serbia ang Filipino-Japanese upang hasain pa ang kaalaman laban sa mga high-level opponents. Orihinal na sumasalang sa under-50kgs ang Pinay karateka, kinailangang mag-adjust ni Tsukii na sumabak sa women’s under-55-kgs dahil ito lang ang pinakamababang timbang na inilagay para sa 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“I had a competition in Serbia. My original class is -50kg, but this time I played in a category -55kg. It's the same class that takes place at the Olympics. I had 5 matches and I was able to be 1st place in that category. I really feel the results of training the month in here. I'm ready for next year in the best condition!!! I would like to thank everyone who supported me,” pahayag ni Tsukii sa kanyang social medial account.

Inihayag ni Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation Inc. (KPSFI) President Richard Lim na sumabak si Tsukii sa isang mala-Olympic qualifying championship tournament na mayroong round-robin na istilo na may pinagsama-samang kabuuang resulta. Naging mahigpit umano ang Europa sa pagpapasok ng mga ibang atleta sa ibang bansa dahil na rin sa nananatiling pag-iingat sa mapaminsalang novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“She is just alone there and train for a month and return back again to Japan after,” wika ni Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation Inc. (KPSFI) President Richard Lim sa panayam ng Bulgar sa online interview. “Mostly Serbian national team and other athletes were scheduled to come from Switzerland, Slovakia and Croatia. But now Europe has border restrictions and players from other countries can't enter,” saad ni Lim.

Olympian Diaz, magreretiro kapag naka-gold sa Olympics

ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | November 30, 2020

Tila nagpaparamdam na si 2016 Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz na maaaring huling beses na itong sasalang bilang atleta sa 2021 Tokyo Olympics sa susunod na taon.

Naghahanap ng kanyang ikaapat na pagtuntong sa prestihiyosong Summer Olympic Games ang 29-anyos na Zamboanga City-native na dalawang beses naunsyami ang Olympic Qualifying event sa 2020 Asian Championship sa Kazakhstan, na kalauna’y inilipat sa Uzbekistan, ngunit dahil sa pananalasa ng novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic ay tuluyan na itong nakansela. Nauna ng nagpartisipa ang 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games champion sa 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, at 2016 Rio; at maaaring maging huling salta na ni Diaz sakaling palarin sa Tokyo.

“I hope so. Because I need life after sports. I don’t know what my body will say… 'Oh, you need to rest. Your body cannot do it anymore'. As you age, you lose your ability for heavy lifting,” pahayag ni Diaz sa panayam ng Olympicchannel.com.

Gayunpaman, bago nito tuluyang ilapag ang mga nagbibigatang barbell plates at bars, pipiliting masiguro muna ng Zamboangena weightlifter na makamit ang kauna-unahang gintong medalya ng Pilipinas sa Summer Olympic Games. Tiwala itong kaya niyang higitan ang nakamit na medalya sa Rio Games at talunin ang mga hadlang sa kanyang pangarap na gintong medalya na sina 2-time Olympic (2012 London at 2016 Rio) champion Ching Hsu Shu ng Chinese Taipei, Chinese weightlifters Liao Qiuyon, Zhang Wanquiong, at Li Yajun, 2018 Asian Games opponents Kristina Sermetowa ng Turkmenistan at Surodchana Khambao ng Thailand at SEAG runner up Nguyen Thi Tuy ng Vietnam.

“I'm still continuing this journey towards the Olympics because I believe that I can win. I believe that God has a plan for me that I believe that I will win at the Olympic Games for the Philippines,” saad ni Diaz.

Malaki ang paniniwala ng 2019 Southeast Asian Games champion na makapagbigay pa ito ng inspirasyon sa lahat ng mga Filipinos sa pagpapakita ng matinding sakripisyo at paninindigan sa pagsasanay para sa bayan.

“Everyone who competes in the Olympics wants to win a medal, but when I won silver I realised that I had become a public figure. Everyone was looking at me, and I realised that I have a responsibility to the Filipinos, and to be a good influence. So that's the power of being an Olympic medallist. You have the ability to influence the younger generation,” wika ng 3-time bronze medalist sa World Championships.

Susubukan ni Diaz na masamahan sa Olympiad na nauna ng nakakuha ng ticket sina pole vaulter Ernest “EJ” Obiena, Carlos “Caloy” Yulo ng Gymnastics at boxers Eumir Felix Marcial at Irish Magno ng women’s flyweight, habang aasa rin ang iba pang mga atleta kagaya nina 2018 Asian Palembang skateboard champion Margielyn Didal, 4-time SEA Games gold medalist judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, 2019 World amateur featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio at iba pang mga atletang aabot sa mahigit 80 na susubok na makapasa sa pagbubukas ng iba’t ibang Olympic Qualifying tournaments sa susunod na taon.

“It would be a symbol of God and a symbol of my sacrifices in training and the people behind me. It’s also a symbol Filipinos can make it. We can win the gold medal at the Olympics. There's no doubt about it, we can win. It's inspirational for younger generations.”

Thirdy Ravena, sapol ng Coronavirus sa Japan

ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | November 29, 2020

Hindi rin nakaiwas sa hagupit ng novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) si dating 3-time UAAP champion mula Ateneo de Manila at kasalukuyang Japan B-League player Thirdy Ravena matapos magpositibo nang makaranas ng ilang sintomas ng mapaminsalang sakit.

Inihayag ng koponan nitong San-En Neo Phoenix sa social media account na dinapuan ang 23-anyos 3-time Finals MVP ng Covid-19 kasunod makaranas ng sore throat, panghihina at temperaturang umabot sa 38.2 degrees. Kinumpirma sa test nito mula sa isang medical institution sa Toyohashi ang pagkakaroon ng naturang karamdaman. Habang patuloy na nagpapagaling sa kanyang apartment.

“On the morning of November 26th (Thursday), he reported that he was in poor physical condition, and when the temperature was measured, a fever of 38.2°C was confirmed,” ayon sa statement ng San-En. “He reported to the Toyohashi City Health Center and at a designated medical institution under the direction of the Health Center.”

Pinawi naman ng shooting guard, na nakababatang kapatid ni NLEX road warrior point gurad Kiefer Ravena, ang pag-aalala ng mga malapit sa kanya, gayundin ang mga tagasubaybay at tagahanga nito na nasa maayos na kondisyon na ito at patuloy na nagpapagaling at nagpapalakas sa kanyang apartment habang sumusunod sa health at safety protocols.

“All good over here. Appreciate all the love and concern over the past 24 hours. I feel well already but have to follow quarantine protocols indefinitely,” pahayag ni Ravena sa kanyang twitter account.

Patuloy itong nagpa-alala sa lahat na huwag balewalain ang lupit ng naturang sakit at kinakailangang mag-ingat dahil nasa paligid lamang ang virus. “Just a reminder that the virus is still out there so let’s not take it for granted. Stay safe everyone! Much love,” ika nito.

Kasalukuyang kumakamada si Ravena sa San-En ng 12.0 points sa 36% shooting, kabilang ang 4.8 rebounds at 1.4 assists sa kabuuang 23.7 minuto ng paglalaro sapol ng unang beses itong maglaro sa koponan noong buwan ng Nobyembre. Gayunman, nahihirapan ang kanyang koponan na makaangat sa team standings sa kartadang 2-13 sa dulo ng B-League 2020-21 season.