MANILA -- Wushu athlete Jomar Balangui presented his Universiade silver medal to Senator Manny Pacquiao during a courtesy call on October 4.
According to a statement released by the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) to the media on Tuesday, Pacquiao congratulated the 19-year-old athlete from the University of Baguio for bringing honor to the country.
Wushu was played for the first time in the 29th Universiade, which was held last Aug. 19-30 in New Taipei City, Chinese Taipei.
Balangui won the silver in the men's sanda 52-kg. event. He defeated American Isiah Ray Enriquez in the semifinal but lost to Chinese Peng Yuan in the final.
Counting Balangui's silver, the Philippines now has three medals in the Universiade, which is second only to the Olympic Games in terms of participants.
The Philippines pocketed the gold medal courtesy of Grandmaster Wesley So in the 27th Universiade held in Kazan City, Russia, while Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison delivered the silver medal in taekwondo in the 2011 edition in Shenzhen, China.
Wushu athletes Gladys Sia (team captain), Sean Elijah Siy, Eal Von Erick Pasno, Abigail Faniega, Czarina Hagos and Kelly Marcelo, and University of Baguio President Dhanna Kerina Bautista-Rodas, who is also FESSAP director for the Cordillera Administrative Region, accompanied Balangui during the courtesy call.
Also present were FESSAP Honorary President David Ong, Executive Vice President Robert Milton Calo, Board Chair Alvin Tai Lian and Vice President Jedel Agron of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA), and Mapua University’s Ann Janeth Garcia and Gabriel Joshua Ancheta of the FESSAP Athletes Committee.
During the courtesy call, Ong gave Pacquiao a video copy of the Taipei Universiade opening ceremony.
Japan was overall champion of the 29th Taipei Universiade, winning 37 golds, 27 silvers and 37 bronzes.
The next Universiade will be held in Napoli, Italy on July 3-14, 2019. (PNA)
