For Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, 27, vocalizing his appreciation can sometimes be a challenge. Training out of Team Lakay in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines, the tough and hard-hitting Igorot mixed martial artist embraces the added impetus that the special days like Mother’s Day bring.
“Through my actions, I give all my care and love to my mother every day but growing up, especially as an Igorot, we are not used to saying ‘I love you, Mama’ or expressing these feelings through words,” Adiwang shared. “So for me, Mother’s Day is important because it gives us a reason to open up and express these feelings.”
Team Lakay has built an incredible reputation for success. Under the guidance of Mark Sangiao, the gym has produced eight world champions, several ONE Championship stars and numerous other accolades across various disciplines in martial arts.
But as impressive as all of the belts and trophies are, it is the deep-seated values the fighters display outside the ring that makes them such a fantastic example for any aspiring young athlete. Primarily, it s about respect not only for their coaches and for their opponents but also for their roots.
Just like sons from different countries and backgrounds around the world, these elite athletes spent Mother’s Day celebrating where they came from, the person responsible for nurturing their dreams and the one who helped build them to be the men they are today. For Adiwang, fighting was at times an excuse to unite the family.
“In the middle of my fighting career, I convinced my mother to come and watch me fight in local events because I’d asked my father to come as well so at least during my fight, we could be all together again,” Adiwang recalled. “At that time, they were separated but after my local fights, she preferred to just watch it on video.”
CONAN Daily 