A Belgian-led judo club from Barangay West Fairview in Quezon City walked away from the Philippine National Judo Championships in Navotas last March 21–22 with nine medals — four gold, two silver, and three bronze — in its first-ever appearance at the national level.
Q-Bagwis Judo Club, founded in 2023 by head coach Jonathan Galliaerdt, competed across multiple age categories ranging from kids to senior division. The performance capped more than two years of what Galliaerdt described as deliberate, structured development.
“It is, above all, an immense sense of pride,” said Galliaerdt, a Belgian national who has been based in the Philippines since 2022. “For the first time, our club took part in the Philippine National Judo Championships, across all categories — from kids to juvenile, cadet, and senior.”
Gold medals went to Prince Mathew Deloverges, Izach De Guzman, Edmar Handumon, and Manilyn Matias. John Vincent Tang and Juliana Arcilla claimed silver, while Carys Elisha Labayan, Darlen Jenise Mitchell, and Darvine Jas Mitchell earned bronze. Derek Dalton Guerrero, Jerick Khevin Bordones, Lucas Dhakal, Michael Angelo Olintao, and Labayan also placed fifth in their respective events.
Among all the bouts, Galliaerdt singled out one as particularly meaningful. Cadet under-55 kg competitor Izach De Guzman, who had gone nearly a year without a podium finish across his competitions in both judo and jiu-jitsu, came through to claim a national title. “Seeing him rise to the occasion and win a national title was a remarkable performance,” Galliaerdt said. He added that the win is expected to help De Guzman rebuild confidence heading into future competitions in both disciplines.
For athletes who competed without a medal, Galliaerdt pointed to a philosophy he said he shares regularly with his team. “I never lose. I either win or learn,” he shared with TGFM, attributing the words to Nelson Mandela. He described defeat not as failure but as the foundation of mental toughness — and tied the idea directly to judo’s own tradition: fall seven times, stand up eight.
The club’s path to Navotas began in a 25-square-meter dojo provided by Barangay West Fairview Kapitan Jonel L. Quebal, whom Galliaerdt credited as indispensable to the club’s existence. Training space has since expanded to a 60-square-meter area fitted with proper tatami mats, supported in part by parents of the athletes.
Prior to the national championships, Q-Bagwis athletes had competed in the Batang Pinoy national games in Palawan in 2024 and in General Santos in 2025, accumulating 12 medals — including five golds — across both events in the cadet and juvenile divisions.
Galliaerdt said preparation also involves regular exposure outside the club through open mat sessions at universities across Manila and clubs in Quezon City. “Athletes cannot reach a high level by training only within their own club,” he said.
All training at Q-Bagwis is offered free of charge. Galliaerdt noted that some parents contribute funds to cover competition costs for athletes from lower-income households, and that the club’s broader goal extends beyond podium finishes — toward helping athletes qualify as varsity players at the university level and access higher education.
The club is now preparing for the 2026 Batang Pinoy in Bacolod, with a separate competition for younger athletes also scheduled in May. Galliaerdt said the longer-term aim is to place athletes into national team development pathways at the youth, cadet, and senior levels.
