Enteng Kabisote stuntman wins SEA Games gold for PH in Muay Thai

As a seasoned stuntman he had the opportunity to do different roles in a movie whit be for the hero’s role or for the villain, but now its different because has do it by being himself.

Former wushu champion and seasoned stuntman Jearome Calica partnered with first-timer Joemar Gallaza to win the gold for the Philippines in the 30th SEA Games muay thai competition at the Subic Bay Exhibit and Convention Center. The last time Calica competed in the SEA Games was almost two decades ago.

The Filipinos scored a whopping average of 9.59 points in two rounds to reign supreme in the wai kru and mai category.

Jearome Calica (red) and Joemar Gallaza (blue) of Team Philippines win the gold in the waikru and mai muay event (photo credit to PhilStar)

Calica has been in the movie stunt industry for a decade already and also a Mixed Martial Artist (MMA), with a background in showbiz their performance before the judges gave them a big edge over their counterparts in their way in winning the gold.

Silver medalist are the  Malaysian pair of Hatem Rumijam and Mohamad Ismail (9.21) and Indonesian tean of Muhammad Sudirman and Lorens Walun (8.84) settled for the silver and bronze medal, respectively.

“I think aside from power and technique execution, we impressed the judges by our tricks and stunts,” said Calica, a stuntman in many action movies since his last SEAG stint 18 years ago.

He was one of the first batches of the Muay Thai Association of the Philippines’ foundation in 1999, a Baguio native he won his initial SEA Games gold in the discipline of Wushu in 2001.

After the 2001 KL Games, the call of showbizness beconed, Calica appeared on popular TV shows like Asian Treasures, Totoy Bato and Kung Fu Kids. He also made it to the big screen with stunt services for movies including 10,000 Hours and Enteng Kabisote.

But the staging of the 30^th SEA Games in homesoil, cannot be ignored by the 37 year old retired athlete, he just had to respond again to represent the flag.

“It’s hard not to answer the country’s call. I had no hesitation in coming back to the national team and it paid off with this gold. Let’s see, I hope I can still do it in many international tournaments to come,” he said.

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Report from PhilStar