With high expectations, the Philippine Judo Federation (PJF) hope to surpass medal production by Filipino Judokas in the 2015 South East Asian Games (SEA Games) which to be hosted by Singapore on June 2015.
Philippine Judo Federation (PJF) President Dave Carter expressed concern over what he described as “unsatisfactory” haul of only two medals in the last SEA Games in Myanmar in 2013, courtesy of Filipina-Japanese Kiyomi Watanabe in the women’s 65 kg. class, and Gilbert Ramirez for the men’s, 73 kg., both winning gold for the Philippine Judo Contingent.
With hope that Watanabe and Ramirez, will deliver the goods on the Singapore SEA Games this year, Carter is expectant that the Philippine Judo Pool of players will also pull a big surprise in their events to bring back the glory days of Philippine Judo witnessed during the past SEA Games hosted by Malaysia (2001), Vietnam (2003), and the Philippines (2005) and to improve it’s seventh place standing in the Myanmar SEA Games.
The Philippine Contingent to the Singapore SEA Games will be announced by PJF officials after a series of local tournaments that will serve as the selection process for those who will see action in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the PJF in support with the “grass roots” program to amplify the sport Judo in the Cordillera Administrative Region and to support it’s propagation issued last year thirty two pieces of Judo “tatami” Mats for use of the Cordillera Judo Association for this purpose.
On the other hand, Cordillera Judo Association (CJA) President Von Villanueva in a meeting with CJA officials will set policies for the issuance of mats to various Judo clubs in Baguio City and Benguet to ensure safety and maintenance of the said “tatami” mats.