The Philippine Youth Wrestling team garnered nine medals to finish third overall in the United World Wrestling (UWW) Junior and Cadets World Grappling Championships held over the weekend at the Ufa Arena in Ufa, Russia.
Gabriel del Rosario accounted for two of the country’s three silvers in the event that gathered the rising stars of 10 participating countries.
Competing in the cadets 46kgs, del Rosario settled for silver in the gi and no-gi events. Meanwhile, Iloilo’s David Zaldarriaga took the silver in gi event in the Cadets 42kgs apart from clinching the bronze in no-gi event.
Alonso Lucas Aguilar, son of URCC founder and Philippine Wrestling Federation (PWF) president Alvin Aguilar, bagged the bronze in both the Gi and NoGi events in the Cadets 50kgs.
“I will not share what we went thru getting here. Our lives must only see the good and lessons learned in every situation whether bad or good,” said Alvin. “The result however is what matters.
“These kids grew and matured into teenagers that gave the Wrestling Association of the Philippines their best results ever in its history of international competition. Three silvers and six bronze medals to finish third overall. Yes, you guys placed the Philippines on the map as we trained you to do ever since you were little.”
Also producing two bronze medals was Joaquin Antonio Marte in Cadets 58kgs. On the other hand, Fierre Afan got his bronze in the Gi event of Cadets 85kgs.
