Cebu’s Vidal makes waves in Manila karatedo event
CEBUANO Rafael Vidal is closing in on a slot in the Philippine national team for karatedo after he showcased his worth in last weekend’s “Best of the Best Karatedo Championships” held at the Star City in Metro Manila.
The 11-year-old Vidal, who represented Hayashiha-Shitoryukai Karatedo Team of Cebu, managed to win two gold medals in the two-day competition that featured some of the country’s best junior karatekas.
Vidal, the son of Hayashiha-Shitoryukai Cebu’s sensei Reynan Vidal, won the gold medal in the kumite event after beating an opponent from AKS Laguna. He grabbed another gold in the kata event, besting an opponent from Shitokai Cavite.
According to Reynan, his son’s sterling performance in the tournament was greatly noticed by the Philippine Karatedo League (PKL) chairman Dennis Aquano and PKL chief instructor John Beck.
He said they told him Rafael should compete in one more tournament scheduled May this year at the SM Seaside City Cebu. This will determine if the young Cebuano will be qualified for the national team.
“We have to wait and see. But as what I’ve seen in his performance, my son has got a big chance to become part of the national team. We will continue to train harder because of this big chance that we’ve got,” said Reynan.
Rafael also won a gold medal in the kumite event of the 4th Adidas International Karatedo Championships held at the SM Mall of Asia last month.
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