MARY Francine Padios brought her winning act in the Southeast Asian Games to the 8th Women’s Martial Arts (WMA) Festival on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The 19-year-old SEA Games champion ruled pencak silat’s Seni Tunggal singles category after scoring 9.587 points to bring home the first gold medal in these games organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
It was likewise the first time that Ms. Padios captured the gold after three attempts to dominate her pet event where she also won a bronze medal in the Pencak Silat World Championships in Malacca, Malaysia this year.
Featuring the nation’s finest women athletes in 11 sports, the WMA is being streamed live on the PSC’s YouTube channel and the PSC WMA Festival FB page. The six-day festival for women martial arts athletes is supported by Pocari Sweat Otsuka Solar Philippines, Inc.
The father of Ms. Padios passed away after she won the country’s first SEA Games gold medal in Vietnam back in May.
Cherry Mae Regalado of Philippine Speed Warriors-Aklan, a bronze medalist in the 2018 Asian Games, settled for the silver with 9.246 points and Lorraine Verde of Isat U KBD got the bronze with 8.897 points.
Over at the judo training center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, jiu-jitsu grappler Shanta Loise Carlos topped the under 54kg of the sport after beating Gliza Bea Jacinto while Erica Barros placed third.
Mariella Rafael claimed a pair of golds in the over 54kg and absolute category after defeating Joanne Bognadon in the latter and toppling Ashley Baluyot in the absolute.
In karate, Fatima A-Isha Lim Hamsain joined hands with Baby Angel Lamorte and Christina Colonia to secure the gold in the team kata.