COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro martial arts athletes bagged 25 medals with 11 golds in the Pan Asian International Jiu Jitsu Competition last June 26, 2022, at Ayala Mall, Manila.
The International Jiu Jitsu Competition was participated by sixteen (16) Bangsamoro participants.
According to coach Abdul Aziz Talusan, his team is very proud because despite the challenges, they still managed to represent the Bangsamoro.
“We started in 2012 to recognize this kind of sport for us to know and recognize the essence of this martial arts. We already participated in different competitions since now and then. However, we also miss various big events because of lacking financial support,” coach Talusan stressed in a virtual interview.
“Ang pagiging coach ay hindi naging madali, sinabak din kami ng iba’t ibang challenges dahil noong 2016 ay nasunog ang gymnasium na training area namin ngunit ipinagpatuloy parin namin ang ganitong martial arts,” he shared.
Sittie Farhana Ebrahim, 26, one of the participants said in a virtual interview that martial arts could help society, especially self-defense for women and handling time management despite busy days.
“Instead of sitting around in front of a computer, we must learn these skills because based on my experience, most of the time, it helps us to manage skills and how we’re going to apply this in our daily lives,” she said.
“I am confident that I could do something to defend myself,” Ebrahim stressed.
The athlete also encouraged Muslim Filipino women to engage in martial arts for them to prepare and be much more alert in protecting themselves.
“To my fellow kababaihan, it is very important to go out there and engage [in Jiu-Jitsu martial arts]. There is nothing impossible. If you want to do something, you have to start it kasi marami na tayong napatunayan [and] join anything that you want,” Ebrahim said.
Jiu-Jitsu is called martial arts with discipline and sport based on ground fighting. The game is focused on the ability to control and gain a dominant position until taking an opponent down using various techniques on the opponent to surrender through joint locks.
Aside from the jiu-jitsu competition, the Bangsamoro Karatedo delegation also established a new record with 19 medals during the recent Cagayan De Oro Charter day Karatedo Championship last month. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)
