Filipino karatekas get wiped out

Eduardo Berco III fell short of a podium finish as the Philippines remained empty-handed in the second day of the Karate One Youth League on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Berco, a Batang Pinoy gold medalist from General Santos City, lost to Lao Cheok Hang of Macau, 1-5, in the bronze medal match of the junior male kumite -61-kilogram division.

He initially lost to Maksym Viechikanov of Ukraine, 1-7, in the first round but was able to defeat

Logan Morrison of Scotland, 7-1, and subdued Mwtt Witharana of Sri Lanka, 3-1, in the repechage to earn a medal match against Hang.

In the same division, Zian Alexander Sing lost in the semifinals after losing 1-3 to Sukrob Sadullayev of Ukraine.

Rei Alec Servan also fell short in the junior female -53kg category quarterfinals after dropping a heartbreaking 1-2 loss against Lucy Choi-Lawrence of Australia

Kevin Llup made it all the way to the quarterfinal of the junior male -55kg event but fell to Abdulrahman Arafat of Saudi Arabia, 4-14.

Around 58 countries participated in the first Youth League leg held in Manila with over 1,000 karatekas in attendance.