Six young athletes from the Manila Central Judo Club (MCJC) returned home with hardware from the 2026 Philippine Judo Federation National Judo Championships, held this March at the Navotas Convention Center in Navotas City, Metro Manila.
The competition drew between 450 and 500 athletes from regions across the country, including Baguio, the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Davao, Cagayan, and Zamboanga — one of the largest turnouts in recent editions of the annual national meet.
Two MCJC competitors topped their respective divisions. Juan Paolo Magat claimed gold in the Boys -30kg Kids category, while Elijah Reuel Eroma did the same in the Boys -46kg Kids division. Freiana Paulin Generoso earned silver in the Girls -46kg Juvenile class. Rounding out the club’s medal haul were Lotus Krisanta Alcantara and Kristoff Thirdy Alcantara, who each took bronze in the Girls -40kg and Boys -38kg Juvenile divisions respectively, alongside Floreinsel Generoso with a bronze in the Boys -30kg Kids category.
The results are being recognized as a milestone for the club, reflecting the effectiveness of its youth development program and affirming MCJC’s standing as one of the country’s top grassroots judo organizations.
Guiding the team on the mat were three black belt coaches: Japanese national black belter Nobuyuki Oota, and Filipino national black belters Roel Eroma and Ryan Kristopher “Nokie” Alcantara. The club has indicated it will sustain its competitive calendar through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027, with planned participation in tournaments organized by local government units, universities, and the Philippine Sports Commission.
