JAMAL Rahmat "JR" Pandi from Poona Bayabao, Lanao del Sur proved his dominance in badminton, as he clinched the gold medal in the Badminton Secondary Boys event at the Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu.
Pandi defeated Lovic Javier of Western Visayas in the finals match held at the Metro Sports Center.
As an experienced athlete who has competed in various local and international tournaments, Pandi felt the pressure, especially since his opponent was also his fellow competitor in other events.
"I felt a bit pressured because of all the thoughts outside the court, and of course, my opponent was also someone I competed with in other tournaments, so there was that pressure of not being able to lose," he said.
Looking ahead, Pandi aspires to win a gold medal in an international tournament.
"I hope I can become a champion in an international [tournament]. The highest I've achieved so far is a silver medal, so I want to get a gold medal for the Philippines," he said.
As a student of Ragayan National High School and a Maranao, Pandi is grateful for the support he receives, especially from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).
"I'm thankful to all those who support me, I can feel your support even from those who didn't watch," he said.
This is the second gold medal won by Barmm in the Palarong Pambansa 2024, following Joeharry Bones' victory in the Taekwondo Secondary Boys Category 5 (Over 55 kg and not exceeding 59 kg). (Jessa M. Magbutay, NWSSU intern)
