Troy Nathaniel Abing of Lapu-Lapu City wins a gold medal in arnis for Central Visayas in Palarong Pambansa 2024. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – He felt very scared that he even cried before the arnis competition of Palarong Pambansa started on Thursday morning.
But his hard work and determination were enough to make Troy Nathaniel Abing, 12, win a gold medal in the elementary boys individual single weapon category.
Abing, who is from Lapu-Lapu City, said he was determined to win that is why he did his best to become the first gold medalist for arnis in Central Visayas.
READ:
Palarong Pambansa 2024: LIVE UPDATES
Dancesport now a ‘regular sport’ in Palarong Pambansa
“Sa CVIRAA, ang uban nako mga kontra kay okay ra man pero sa Palaro lig-on kaayo akong mga kontra. Mao gikulbaan ko,” he said in an interview with CDN Digital.
His next mission is to win the synchronized mix double weapon category using a wooden unbladed weapon with his female partner, scheduled on Friday.
READ: USJ-R Lady Jaguars now 2-0 in Palarong Pambansa girls volleyball
Hard work
Abing said he had always been fascinated by hand-t0-hand combat since he was a child. This was also the reason why he decided to train in arnis under the supervision of coach Jessa Baguio.
READ: Coach on a wheelchair: Meet Emanuel Digamon of Zamboanga Sibugay
They train almost everyday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the school break.
Before he made it to the Palarong Pambansa, Abing also harvested gold medals in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association in May.
READ: Palarong Pambansa 2024: Paraase of CV wins nat’l meet’s first gold
Palarong Pambansa 2025
Meanwhile, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte Mayor Michael Marcos Keon visited the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex on Thursday to watch the arnis competition and cheer for his team.
Keon said that majority of the athletes representing Region1 came from Laoag City because of their exemplary performance in the Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA).
“For the first time in the history of Laoag’s 52 year participation in the R1AA, so syempre nandito ako,” he said.
Keon said that he will also watch the other Palaro games and learn from Cebu City’s experience in hosting the national meet as they will also be hosting next year’s Palarong Pambansa.
“I am very happy to be here. The facilities and venues are very good. Everything is being run very well,” said Keon.