Mariah Moore aims high in Eskrima
by Advance Newspapers
Tuesday March 11, 2008, 10:16 AM
Mariah MooreALTO -- She's just 14 years old, but in the world of martial arts, she's a force to be reckoned with.
By the tender age of 12, Alto's Mariah Moore had earned a spot on the U.S. National team in the Philippine martial art of Eskrima and went on to earn two gold medals for the United States at the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Championships in 2006.
But she's not stopping there.
Her sport, Eskrima (also referred to as Arnis) is a weapons-based martial art that is native to the Philippines, in which practitioners are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably. Eskrima has gone from a martial art used primarily for survival, into a sport with organized competitions and sanctioned rules and regulations.
Arnis, in its modernized form, is now a regular event in the Southeast Asian Games and will be a demonstration sport in the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing, China.
"My ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics, but as of now, my sport is not recognized by the Olympic committee. I am hoping that after the 2008 demonstration, the Olympic committee will sanction Eskrima as an official sport of the Olympic Games," Moore said.
The world of competitive stick fighting is no place for the weak. Sport stick fighting is the proving grounds for fighting men all over the world. Male warriors are commonly referred to as Eskrimadors. Due to the brutal nature of the sport, female participation is not as common, but when a female does emerge, she is referred to as an Eskrimadora.
As the current Midwest regional champion, Mariah Moore recently traveled to Walnut, Calif., to compete in the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation U.S. National Stick Fighting and Forms Competition. At stake were highly coveted and prestigious seats on the U.S. National Team that will compete against nations from around the world at the 10th World Championships in Cebu, Philippines in July.
In her first area of competition, Traditional Multiple Weapons Forms, Mariah chose the Tali bong (knives on ropes) and performed Sayow (To Dance). With scores ranging from 8.7 to 9.8, judges call was unanimous with Moore taking the gold.
"I did get to watch her perform her form during the Friday competition and was very much in awe with her skill and grace with her weapons," Guro John Garcia, USA National Tournament Coordinator said. "Mariah moves very well and her form showcased her grace. You could tell from the level of her form that she put quite a lot of practice time into creating her form, and this again shows her dedication to the art."
In the Full-Contact Single-Stick Fighting competition, though her competitor outweighed her by 35 pounds, Moore tied for three consecutive rounds and took the silver, after a fourth and final tiebreaking round.
In the Full-Contact Double-Stick Fighting competition, Moore dominated all three rounds.
"It was one of the most exciting bouts that weekend. Mariah really impressed me as she was so quick with her strikes, but yet she had so much power. I advised her to stay motivated in Eskrima, as she is a great fighter," Guro Mike Mackenzie said.
Alhough she secured the gold medal, Moore also took home a fractured finger.
by Advance Newspapers
Tuesday March 11, 2008, 10:16 AM
Mariah MooreALTO -- She's just 14 years old, but in the world of martial arts, she's a force to be reckoned with.
By the tender age of 12, Alto's Mariah Moore had earned a spot on the U.S. National team in the Philippine martial art of Eskrima and went on to earn two gold medals for the United States at the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Championships in 2006.
But she's not stopping there.
Her sport, Eskrima (also referred to as Arnis) is a weapons-based martial art that is native to the Philippines, in which practitioners are noted for their ability to fight with weapons or empty hands interchangeably. Eskrima has gone from a martial art used primarily for survival, into a sport with organized competitions and sanctioned rules and regulations.
Arnis, in its modernized form, is now a regular event in the Southeast Asian Games and will be a demonstration sport in the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing, China.
"My ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics, but as of now, my sport is not recognized by the Olympic committee. I am hoping that after the 2008 demonstration, the Olympic committee will sanction Eskrima as an official sport of the Olympic Games," Moore said.
The world of competitive stick fighting is no place for the weak. Sport stick fighting is the proving grounds for fighting men all over the world. Male warriors are commonly referred to as Eskrimadors. Due to the brutal nature of the sport, female participation is not as common, but when a female does emerge, she is referred to as an Eskrimadora.
As the current Midwest regional champion, Mariah Moore recently traveled to Walnut, Calif., to compete in the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation U.S. National Stick Fighting and Forms Competition. At stake were highly coveted and prestigious seats on the U.S. National Team that will compete against nations from around the world at the 10th World Championships in Cebu, Philippines in July.
In her first area of competition, Traditional Multiple Weapons Forms, Mariah chose the Tali bong (knives on ropes) and performed Sayow (To Dance). With scores ranging from 8.7 to 9.8, judges call was unanimous with Moore taking the gold.
"I did get to watch her perform her form during the Friday competition and was very much in awe with her skill and grace with her weapons," Guro John Garcia, USA National Tournament Coordinator said. "Mariah moves very well and her form showcased her grace. You could tell from the level of her form that she put quite a lot of practice time into creating her form, and this again shows her dedication to the art."
In the Full-Contact Single-Stick Fighting competition, though her competitor outweighed her by 35 pounds, Moore tied for three consecutive rounds and took the silver, after a fourth and final tiebreaking round.
In the Full-Contact Double-Stick Fighting competition, Moore dominated all three rounds.
"It was one of the most exciting bouts that weekend. Mariah really impressed me as she was so quick with her strikes, but yet she had so much power. I advised her to stay motivated in Eskrima, as she is a great fighter," Guro Mike Mackenzie said.
Alhough she secured the gold medal, Moore also took home a fractured finger.
