Sablan, Benguet – Rosemarie Recto isn’t the only Cordilleran Muaythai fighter one going to the world championships on August 1-11, she got good company in Liane Benito, her schoolmate at the Sablan National High School (SNHS), Kurt Lubrica, and Mariah Co.
According to Team Kafagway founder Bryan Olod, Benito is a member of the Philippine Muaythai Team. As a regular member of national team, the first ever Philippine Team figher from Sablan, Benguet’s stint in the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) Muaythai World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand is supported by Muaythai Association of the Phils. (MAP) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Benito is a native of Bayabas, Monglo, Sablan, Benguet. The 15 year old Ibaloi in a grade 10 incoming student of SNHS. Like, Recto, here parents into farming and was introduced to Wushu Sanda and Muaythai by Olod, although a little earlier, last July, 2016. This is also her first trip outside of the country.
This national team fighter already has three golds and a silver in her pocket for Muaythai. She got all her medals during the 2016 National Muaythai Open competitions in the 14-15, 48kg category. The silver was won during the 2016 Muaythai National Open in Manila last December.
This string of success got her recruited to the Philippine National Team last January.
She also is involved in Wushu and already amassed three golds and a bronze in different competitions. Her golds were won during the 2016 Baguio Day competitions in the 14-15, 48kg category; the 2016 Benguet Provincial Meet in the 13-14, 45kg category and the 2016 CARAA Meet in the 13-14, 45kg category. She won her bronze during the 2017 Palarong Pambansa in the 13-14, 45kg category.
She is expected to compete in the combat, 14-15, either 48 or 45 kg category in the muaythai world championships.
For good measure, Benito and Recto competed during the 2017 Women’s Martial Arts Festival at the Harrison Plaza in Manila Last July 26-27 and got themselves of a gold medal each, a good sign of how things might results in their trip to the world championships.
Lubrica was a gold medalist in the second leg of the 2017 Muaythai National Open. He fights at 48kgs and is 17 years old. Co is the youngest among the four Cordilleran combatants at 13 years old.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS