Back in the 30th Southeast Asian Games Wushu competitions’ opener last Sunday, Clemente Tabugara, Jr. expressed confidence that the Philippine teams will reign triumphant in the Sanda event.
Two days later, the 24-year-old was right, as the Filipino crew snagged five of the six gold medals in the tilt.
“Thankful po kasi ganun po resulta namin. Maganda pinakita namin,” said Tabugara, Jr., who proudly wore his gold medal with the Philippine flag draped on his back as he spoke to reporters.
Tabugara, Jr. gave the country its fifth gold to cap off a successful day for Wushu when he downed Kittisak Suksanguan of Thailand in the men’s 65-kilogram category.
But unlike his teammates, who finished their opponents in just two rounds, he needed three to finish his.
“Nasa utak at puso ko [na] ‘di ako pwede matalo sa laban kasi dito ginanap laban. And confident akong mananalo ako ngayon, kasi ang tagal kong pinangarap na dito sa bayan mag-gold,” he said.
The gold rush for the Filipinos started when Divine Wally conquered Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ching in the 48-kg event.
Wally, who won bronze in the 2018 Asian Games, feels proud of what they have achieved, that their sacrifices paid off.
“Very happy kami. Very lucky? ‘Di mo rin masasabi na lucky kasi pinaghirapan namin, the whole year nag-prepare kami for SEA Games,” said Wally, who hails from Baguio City.
“Yung sacrifices, ‘di kami nag-enroll para lang maka-train,” added the 24-year-old from the University of the Cordilleras.
Wally admitted there was pressure on their part while they competed. Fortunately, though, the support helped them pull through, with a good number of Filipino crowd cheering for them inside the World Trade Center.
“Very pressured. Nakaka-pressure pero ‘yung cheer ng crowd, nakaka-revive at nakakatulong sa laro namin. Nare-revive ang lakas namin dahil nandyan sila para sa amin,” she shared.
“Very happy and grateful kasi lahat kami nagtulungan. Masaya kami para sa isa’t isa.”
