Karateka De Los Santos, gold na, pero dinaya sa online tourney

ni Gerard Arce - @Sports | July 27, 2020

Muling nagbigay ng karangalan sa bansa si dating national karate team standout James De Los Santos sa nagdaang Adidas Karate Kata at Kumite Open #2 na ginanap nitong Hulyo 13-23 sa pamamagitan ng online virtual tournament.

Nakamit ng dating 2017 Southeast Asian Games medalist ang silver medal finish sa E-Kata Individual Male Seniors category ng matalo kay Eduardo Garcia ng Clube Karate De Olhao’ ng Portugal sa isang kontrobersyal na laban.

Nauna ng ibinigay kay De Los Santos ang panalo sa pamamagitan ng 24.7 sa 24.1 ng Portuguese karateka; ngunit pinalitan ito kinabukasan pabor kay Garcia 24.7-25.1, na siya ring dumaig sa kanya sa Sportdata E-Tournament World Series online kata tournament noong Mayo sa katiting na 0.3 difference sa finals.

“I won gold for a while, but in the end, I snagged the silver medal. This is a first time that this happened since the scores are supposed to be final once displayed. This would also never be allowed to happen in an actual tournament,” pahayag ni De Los Santos sa kanyang social media account. “I don’t know the reason why this happened. But that’s the way it goes sometimes. All we have to do is stand tall and keep moving forward,” dagdag nito.

Hindi man pinalad sa gintong medalya matapos makuha ng dating European Championship medalist na si Garcia ang kampeonato, nagawa pa ring daigin ng biennial meet men’s individual kata event bronze medalist ang 19 karateka sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo.

Binitbit ng dating 6-time Philippine National Games champion ang club nito na International Shotokan Karate Federation para talunin sina Silvio Cerone-Biagioni ng Fourways Martial Arts Academy ng South Africa sa semifinals; Nejc Sternisa ng Karate Klub Seki SV. Jernej ng Slovenia sa quarterfinals at Alves Murillo ng Sport Way-Piracicaba /SP ng Brazil.

“I dedicated my performance in this tournament to all of my family, friends, coaches and to all believers. It’s unfortunate that I questionably ended with the silver, but I know that giving my all is what always truly mattered to you. As you have also taught me before, never stop fighting. On to the next,” wika ng dating national karateka.

Dahil sa nagaganap na pananalasa ng coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic sa buong mundo, kinokonsidera umano nito na magiging mas mapanghamon ang online events kumpara sa regular na kumpetisyon dahil mas matututukan umano ng mga hurado ang ginagawang performance ng bawat kalahok.

Matatandaang napatalsik si De Los Santos sa pambansang koponan matapos ang hindi pagkakasama sa kanya na lumahok sa 2019 SEA Games line up ng Karate Pilipinas Inc (KPI) dahil hindi umano ito kuwalipikado matapos hindi makapasa sa standards ng national team at foreign coaches, at iba pang mga kadahilanan.