IT will be a battle of the best Filipina martial artists as the Philippine Sports Commission holds the 8th edition of the Women’s Martial Arts Festival starting this Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“This is very special for us since it will be the first major Women in Sports program under my watch since I was appointed as a commissioner of the PSC. Also, this is the first time that we will be opening our sports facilities again for our major event this month since the pandemic,” PSC oversight Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo said.
Among the top national athletes competing in the six-day meet are world taekwondo and Southeast Asian Games champion Jocel Ninobla, 2021 IFMA World Muaythai Championships double gold medalist Islay Erika Bomogao, 19th World Pencak Silat silver medalist Hannah Mae Ibutnande, and SEA Games pencak silat queen Francine Padios, among others.
Filipina grappler Jiah Pingot, who won silver medals in 2019 and 2021 SEA Games and hold titles in the National Championships and previous edition of the Women’s Festival is also joining the wrestling competition.
Former SEA Games and Asian Games medalist Cherry Mae Regalado will also be returning to the competition stage as one of the title contenders.
“We are very excited to gather our top Filipina athletes in one event. It will be a great feeling to watch them perform live in our own turf,” Coo said.
To be played in the Nov. 12-17 meet are pencak silat, wrestling, sambo, taekwondo, Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, jiu jitsu, and kurash, plus arnis and judo as demonstration sports.
