TAIPEI – Hindi uuwing luhaan ang Team Philippine mula sa matikas na kampanya sa Universiade 2017.
Nakasiguro ng silver medal si wushu jin Jomar Balangui nang gapiin si Isiah Ray Enriquez ng United States , 2-0, sa semifinal ng men’s sanda-52 kg event ng torneo na itinuturing ‘Olympics’ para sa mga university athletes.
Tatangkain ng 19-anyos na si Balangui mula sa University of Baguio na masungkit ang gintong medalya kontra Peng Yuan ng China. Nadomina ni Yuan si Seongji Byron ng South Korea, 5-0, 5-0, sa hiwalay na men’s sanda 52-kg semifinal.
“This is another big achievement for our country. Win or lose by Jomar in the wushu final, we are already assured of a medal in Taipei,” pahayag ni Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) president David Ong.
“The wushu medal -- be it a gold or a silver -- will be a good addition to our gold medal in chess by GM Wesley So in the 2013 Kazan Universiade and the silver medal in taekwondo by Samuel Thomas Morrison in the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade,” aniya.
Tapik sa balikat ng delegasyon ang tagumpay ni Balangui na suportado rito ng San Miguel Corp., Bestank at Garfield Sportswear.