MANILA – The Philippines finally broke through the medal column of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, thanks to the grit and precision of 17-year-old Kram Airam Carpio, who bagged the country’s first gold medal after a commanding run in the women’s pencak silat competition on Monday night in Manama, Bahrain.
Carpio, a silver medalist in the Asian Championships, outclassed Indonesia’s Qiken Dwi Tata Olifia, 33–19, in a statement win that not only showcased her technical mastery but also made history in a sport rooted in her opponent’s home country.
The pride of Laguna dismantled her rivals on the way to the finals, dispatching Iran’s Nazaninfatemeh Kolasan (36–22), India’s Sakshi Thakur (83–17), and Kazakhstan’s Aliyam Azizova (46–27) with ease.
Her triumph propelled the Philippines among the early leaders in the medal tally and set the tone for the rest of Team Philippines’ campaign in the continental youth meet.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who witnessed the bout firsthand, hailed Carpio’s golden performance as a milestone for the country’s rising athletes.
“These athletes are the future of Philippine sports. Sila ang ilalaban natin, hopefully, sa Olympics at iba pang major international tournaments, two, three, four years from now,” Tolentino said.
He also renewed his call for continued investment in the country’s sports development programs. “Suportahan po natin ang mga atletang Pilipino lalo na ngayon, patuloy tayong nagpapanalo. Three gold medals na tayo sa Olympics, dati nangangarap lang tayo. Then ang daming events ang dino-dominate na rin natin. Tuloy ang programa natin para sa mga atleta,” he added.
Carpio’s feat marked a breakthrough for the national delegation, reaffirming the promise of the country’s young athletes on the international stage./PN
