Team Lakay Central Gym overpowered their rivals after grabbing 18 golds including 10 silvers and 11 bronze medals to re-claim the over-all title in the 42nd Team Lakay Grappler’s Cup at the Benguet Sports Complex gym in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Led by absolute and seniors male advance 65-71 kilograms gold medalist Michaal McTaggart, Team Lakay was simply a cut above the rest in the tournament made part of the 2nd Benguet Martial Arts Festival.
Joining McTaggart are Rayjed Sayud (seniors male adv 58-64 kg), Jomar Cawilan (seniors male nov 58-64 kg), Harriz Luyo (seniors male adv 51-57 kg), Collin Banusan (seniors male 50 kg below) Ralph Cervantes (juniors male 65-71 kg), Robert Daniel (juniors male nov 51-57 kg), and Jerlyn Kingad (seniors female 51-57 kg).
Also winning the gold for Team Lakay Central Gym are Dalemarie Mayos (seniors female adv 50 kg below) Chalyn Ocomen (seniors female novice 50 kg below), Aeyesha Bantasan (kids female 13-15: 60-66 kg) Ellaine Saclag (kids female 13-15: 46-52) Jessa Mae Ventura (kids female 13-15:39-45 kg) Jhesiah Soriano (kids male 13-15: 74-80 kg), Nathaniel Alvarez (kids male 13-15: 60-66 kg), lyam Liwan (kids male 13-15 yrs old 39-45 kg) and Hyuma Zan Sibayan (kids male 10-12 yrs old 39-45 kg).
Checkmat PH, over-all winner during the 41st edition of the contest salvaged four gold medals including six silvers and three bronze to slid to second place led by Johan Tomas (seniors male nov 72-79 kg), Raphael Donglasan (juniors male adv 51-57 kg), Jhonwayne Lawana (kids male 13-15: 53-59 kg) and Cyruz Tauli (kids male 13-15 yrs old 46-52 kg).
In third place is BSU Wildcats with three gold medals courtesy of Mclean Tudayan (seniors male adv 72-79 kg), Renald Acdang (seniors male nov 65-71 Kg), and Mikael Mandapat (seniors male nov 51-57 kg) while taking home one silver and three bronze.
Gara MMA, who took home two gold medals courtesy of Benjie Almanon (seniors male 80 kg above) and Denzel Jon Alipio (juniors male 58-64 kg), including three silvers finished fourth while Team Lakay San Fernando grabbed one gold, one silver and a bronze to complete the top five.
Coach Mark Sangiao said since the start of the grapplers cup more than a decade ago, the competition has evolved into a crowd drawer not only for amateur, but also to and up and coming professional MMA fighters who wish to hone their grappling skills.
“The tournament has been attracting participants from Baguio and Benguet while our rules have become more systematic and technical. Our technical officials are also having regular trainings for them to run the tournament smoother,” said Sangaio of the grapplers cup.
Sangiao added since 2008, the grapplers cup has played a pivotal role in producing numerous world champions in various international mixed martial arts organizations, including five in ONE Championship, one in Brave Combat Federation, and in Pacific X-Treme Combat.
The grappling competition also aims to cultivate the submission skills of MMA fighters by incorporating techniques from folk wrestling, judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, traditional jujutsu, and sambo.
“We are very happy and very proud that some of these grapplers who came from Team Lakay have now specialized in jujitsu. More gyms and teams, even outside Baguio and Benguet are taking their time to join making the competition tougher,” added Sangiao.
-TL PR
