BY FLORY ANN TACUBAN
ILOILO City – Edmar Tacuel of Barangay Nagba, Tubungan, Iloilo bagged a silver medal in the 1st World Beach Pencak Silat Championship at Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand on Oct.1.
Tacuel gave his best to earn the honor in the Men’s Sine Tunggal category.
Tunggal individual performance consisted of dancing showing graceful movements and good balance.
Tacuel bested rivals from Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
“Lahat ng pinaghirapan ko ay nagbunga na rin sa wakas. I know patikim lang ‘to sa akin ni God at kailangan ko pa magpursigi,” Tacuel said.
Sister Michelle Tacuel quipped, “I am so proud of my brother. Our family is always here to fully support him.”
Ariel Tabares, his coach and faculty member of Tubungan National High School, discovered Tacue’s potential during school Intramurals.
“We recruited players to play for Tubungan in the 1st Congressional District Sports Association Meet and he got gold in arnis,” Tabares said.
Tabares got Tacuel into rigorous training and fielded him to the 2013 Batang Pinoy in Maasin City, Southern Leyte where he got a silver in pencak silat.
“There was a point na gusto ko mag-back out pero dahil sa kahirapan nagpursigi ako para maiangat ang buhay. Sinamahan na lang ng panalangin para maging successful,” Tacuel said.
Tabares said Tacuel balances academics and sports well.
Tacuel is currently studying Bachelor in Industrial Technology at the Iloilo Science and Technology University – La Paz, Iloilo City.
“I am proud of him,” Tabares stressed.
Tacuel urged the youth to learn martial arts.
Pencak silat is a combat sport and a good self-defense, he said.
Tacuel is now preparing for pre-SEA (Southeast Asia) Games competitions./PN
