Karate One-Youth League: PH bets miss podium in Day 2

Opening festivities of Karate One-Youth League Manila at Mall of Asia Arena. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Eduardo Berco III delivered the best Filipino finish on Day 2 of the Karate One-Youth League despite coming up short of a podium spot in the junior male kumite -61kg division Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Berco dropped his opening bout to Ukraine’s Maksym Viechikanov, 1-7, but was pulled into the repechage after the Ukrainian reached the finals.

READ: 3 PH bets top medal hopes in Karate One Youth League

From there, the General Santos City standout stayed in medal contention with a 7-1 win over Scotland’s Logan Morrison and a 3-1 victory against Mwtt Witharana.

His run ended in the next round after a 1-5 loss to Macau’s Hang Lao Cheok, finishing seventh overall in his division.

Rei Alec Servan came closest on the women’s side but fell 2-1 to Australia’s Lucy Choi-Lawrence in the junior female -53kg quarterfinals.

The match was tied 1-all late before Choi-Lawrence landed the deciding point in the closing seconds.

In the junior male -61kg class, Zian Alexander Sing exited in the semifinals after a 3-1 loss to Ukraine’s Sukrob Sadullayev.

Sing had earlier dominated Brunei’s Awanku Ahmad Izz Aiman, 5-0, in the second round after a first-round bye.

Kevin Llup also bowed out in the quarterfinals, losing 14-4 to Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman Arafat after edging compatriot Bernardo Fresco via referee’s decision in the previous round.

The tournament is sanctioned by the World Karate Federation and organized by Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc.