Torres pangungunahan ang karate team sa SEA Games

KUNG ang kanyang tagumpay sa 9th Southeast Asia Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championship sa Cambodia nakaraang buwan ang indikasyon, Rebecca Cyril Torres ay puwedeng maging medal contender sa Vietnam Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) sa susunod na buwan.

Si Torres ay nagtapos pangalawa kay Indonesian Putri Aprilla Krisda habang ang Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Phoung third place sa women’s individual kata event sa tournament na ginanap mula Marso 25 to 27 sa Royal University of Phnom Penh.

Nagbulsa rin ang Pilipinas ng 2 bronze medals courtezy of Ivan Agustin (men’s -75kg kumite) at Rita Cuadra (women’s-55kg kumite).

Ang SEAKF Championship ay magsilbing tuneup para sa atletang sasabak sa SEAG.
“My teammates and I have been training with our coaches, sensei Chino Veguillas and sensei Rhodee Saavedra, and we train to have better performances everyday. The goal is to perform and execute well and the medal will follow,” Wika ng the 28-year-old Torres.

Si Torres ay sumasabak sa abroad 22 taon na ngayon. Ang kanyang huling tournament bago ang 9th SEAKF Championship ay noong 2019 SEAG kung saan nagwagi siya ng team kata bronze medal kasama si Nicole Dantes at Ronaldene Flores.

Sumali siya sa Association para sa Advancement of Karatedo Club sa edad na limang taon at nagtraining sa ilalim ni Asian Games at SEAG gold medalist Richard Lim, Asian Games bronze medalist at SEAG silver medalist Sonny Montalvo at SEAG gold medalist Veguillas.

“My parents enrolled me for summer classes when I was young and I chose to continue karate because I enjoy practicing the sport and because of the friends I made. At the same time, karate has taught me discipline and courage on and off the mat,” Wika ni Torres, na may BS Tourism degree mula sa University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Kasalukuyan siyang kumukuha ng second degree sa Sports Science and Exercise.

Dahil sa tamang pag-uugali at husay, Torres ay handa ng makamit ang tagumpay kapag pumalaot sa kanyang ikalawang SEAG appearance sa Vietnam.

Ang Pilipinas ay nagwagi ng 2 golds, 1 silver, nine bronze at fifth place sa karate medal standings sa nakaraang SEAG. Nanguna ang Malaysia na may four golds at four silvers sinundan ng Taiwan na may 3 gold, 2 silver at 3 bronze, Vietnam (2-3-6) at Indonesia ( 2-3-4).