19 Philippine Athletes to Show Off Skills in World Combat Games in Saudi Arabia
Nineteen (19) Filipino athletes will be send off to Saudi Arabia to represent the Philippine for the upcoming 2023 World Combat Games.
The Philippines will be sending a team of 19 athletes to participate in the 2023 World Combat Games scheduled from October 20 to 30 at the King Saud University Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jenna Kaila Napolis, along with Jones Inso and Clemente Tagubara Jr., who are both Asian Games bronze medalists, will spearhead the PH contingent in the competition, which marks the first time the tournament is held in the Middle East.
Napolis, who emerged victorious in the women’s -52kg category at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, says she will do her best. The team also includes SEA Games gold medalists Agatha Wong (wushu) and Gretel De Paz (kickboxing), silver medalist Renalyn Dacquel (kickboxing), and bronze medalists Philip Delarmino (muay thai) and Darius Venerable (taekwondo).
Other athletes in the lineup comprise Fierre Afan and Maria Aisa Ratcliff (grappling); Rudzma Abubakar, Islay Bomogao, Arnel Lampacan, Alyssa Mallari, Edzel Ngina, and Rhichien Yosorez (muay thai); Justin Kobe Macario and Faye Crisostomo (taekwondo); and Thornton Sayan (wushu).
Based on the report of PNA, a total of 1,657 participants (913 male and 744 female) from 80 nations are set to compete across 16 sports. This include aikido, boxing, fencing, judo, ju-jitsu, karate, kendo, arm wrestling, kickboxing, Muaythai, sambo, savate (French boxing), sumo, taekwondo, wrestling, and wushu.
Wrestling boasts the highest number of entries at 288, followed by fencing at 144, ju-jitsu at 136, aikido at 100, arm wrestling at 96, karate at 96, kickboxing at 96, Savate at 92, sambo at 88, taekwondo at 88, Muaythai at 88, judo at 84, sumo wrestling at 80, wushu at 80, Kendo at 69, and boxing at 32.
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