Ilonggo arm wrestler bags bronze medal in national amateur tournament

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Dr. Erlando Fredrik Octaviano, one of the most prominent arm wrestlers representing Iloilo City, recently made waves during the Chris Gym Amateur Tournament on August 4, 2024, held in Imus, Cavite.

Fresh off organizing the first-ever midyear tournament of the Iloilo-based arm wrestling organization Ukbo Iloilo, Dr. Octaviano headed to Luzon and made sure his trip was worth it after securing the bronze medal against the top competitors from the country.

Before reaching the playoff round, Dr. Octaviano took down five opponents, mostly from Cavite, and used it as his momentum to notch a podium finish.

It wasn’t an easy path for the lone Ilonggo challenger as he took a risk by walking 3.4 kilometers going to the venue to make the weight limit of 75 kilograms and below.

To ensure his weight would make the cut, Dr. Octaviano opted to fast for 12 hours, kicking his competition day without any food or water intake.

That move then paid off dividends as he was able to make weight and officially list himself in the pool of arm wrestlers in the 75-kg and below category.

However, Dr. Octaviano began to experience cramps midway through the competition, but the brave Ilonggo got past the hurdle and went home to the City of Love with a medal.

Dr. Octaviano was the founder of Ukbo Iloilo five years ago, playing a vital role in the growing society of the Iloilo arm wrestling scene.

I would like to thank my family and my fiancé. Prayer, preparation, and perseverance go a long way,” said Dr. Octaviano in an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.