From Turkey to Thailand and now back to Benguet, Islay Erika Bomogao is once again being honored for her gold medal-winning feats as Team Bagsik and other Muay Thai athletes dominated this year’s annual awards for sports personalities held on Wednesday.
Bomogao’s presence was sorely missed—unlike last year, when she took the podium and nervously remarked, “I prefer punching to talking in front of the crowd. I am more nervous speaking in front of you all.”
She is once again one of the two outstanding athletes of the year in the Benguet Cordillera Athletes Recognition for Excellence in Sports, or Benguet CARES.
Bomogao recently won two gold medals in Muay Mai at the IFMA World Muay Thai Championship in Ankara, Turkey, and followed it up with a first-round knockout last Friday in Bangkok, Thailand. Now, she is back home to receive her citation from Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas and other provincial officials at the Newtown Hotel Grand Ballroom.
She is joined by Team Bagsik and Philippine Muay Thai teammate Lee Ariel Lampacan, who also won a gold medal in the IFMA Worlds, in the Wai Kru category, as her male counterpart.
Martial arts coach Bryan Olod joined Bomogao and Lampacan as one of the top honorees, specifically recognized as Coach of the Year.
They were also joined by young Lyre Ngina, daughter of Team Bagsik coach Edzel Ngina, who was named Young Athlete of the Year, one of the four major awards. Lyre Ngina won a gold medal in Wai Kru (12 to 13 years old category) and a bronze in the 48-kg combat category of the IFMA Youth World Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 12 to 19 last year.
Other awardees recognized for their achievements in international sports include Claudine Veloso and Gina Iniong for kickboxing; Jones Llabres Inso for wushu taolu; Xander Alipio for wushu sanda; Team Lakay and Lion’s Nation, the latter led by Eduard Folayang and ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio.
A total of 39 awards were given during the annual recognition ceremony for outstanding athletes and coaches.
Other notable awardees included coaches Edzel Ngina and Zaidi Laruan; WBC Asia flyweight champion Jessebelle Pagaduan; Jhaymie Guzman and Rudzma Abubakr for Muay Thai; Felex Dave Cantires and Honorio Banario for kickboxing; Carlo Von Bumina-ang for mixed martial arts; Jason Baucas for wrestling; and Giselle Bulahao for darts.
Buguias Mayor and incoming board member Ruben Tinda-an and his daughter Stephanie performed a kata before the awarding ceremony.
Minor citations were given to Rodney Bastian, Brendon Depayso, Charlotte Tibbawen, Aldrin Kurt Douglas, and Liza Docyogen for bodybuilding; Elcanor Mang-usan Jr., Linuz Xander Pat-ogan, Rhandal Zhane Montes, Beatriz Gray Fontanilla, Giana Zienne Esiong, Rajan Sangayab, Khaizer Nathan Dale Domingo, Liam Nate Tolongan, Savannah Miel Tilingan, and Argan Drake Codio for taekwondo, along with their coaches Danrey Velo and Jeremy Fagatan; and Gregorio Abalos III and Macclean Tudayan for jiu-jitsu with their coach Bernardo de Castro.
