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2 Kalinga young warriors target semis, medals in Muaythai world championships

Writer: Leonora Lo-oy
Leonora Lo-oy
21 minutes ago
2 min read

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Two young iKalinga fighters are one victory away from securing medals as they battle their way into the semifinals of the 2026 International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) Youth World Championships in Olympia, Greece.


Salco Velic and Dick Saking Jr. are set to face their respective opponents in the quarterfinals tonight, Philippine time, in the world’s largest youth Muaythai tournament, which runs from November 6 to 16.


Velic will take on Russia’s Aleksandr Lagutin in the U18 Male Youth 51-kilogram division, while Saking will square off against Turkey’s Abdullah Tuna Daldaban in the U18 Male Youth 45-kilogram category.


A victory for either fighter will earn him a place in the semifinals and guarantee at least a bronze medal in the competition.


Velic advanced to the quarterfinals after edging Canada’s Roman Sodhi in a close match on November 10.


Saking, meanwhile, secured his place in the next round after receiving a bye during the tournament draw.


Both fighters hail from Tribu Banwar under the guidance of head coach Erwin Tagure. Velic, however, has qualified for and is currently training with the Philippine team.


Moreover, the two are currently being supervised by coaches Billy Alumno, Precious Delarmino, Arman Solar, and Coach Claro.


With a medal now within reach, Tagure said he is not asking for easy fights but hopes his young fighters will have the courage to face whatever challenges await them in the ring.


“We may have come from humble beginnings, but we have never been afraid to dream big. Whatever happens inside that ring, these young warriors have already given us something priceless: a reason to believe that even dreams born in the farthest corners of our country can reach the world,” he said.


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