AGATHA Wong. That was the name that was flashed on TV screens, smartphones and laptops after winning her first wushu match.  A replay of her first match and subsequent match easily earned her loyal fans who were awed by her skill as much as her beautiful face. The pictures of her holding the Philippine flag around her, holding the gold medal, was one of the first many gold medals that the Philippine contingent began winning every day.

Little did anyone in Pangasinan know then that Agatha Wong has roots in Dagupan City.  A post on Facebook identified her as the granddaughter of couple Winnie and the late Alice Fernandez (great granddaughter of the prominent cardiologist, the  late Dr. Luciano and Richa Fernandez).

She is Agatha Fernandez Wong. Her mother, Richie (second eldest daughter of Winnie and Alice) is married to Christopher Wong. 

Agatha at 13 years with relatives in Dagupan City led by grandparents Winnie and Alice Fernandez.

Agatha is joined by her father Christopher and mother, Richie, after winning her first match.

But what was totally unexpected were attempts to discredit her wins by questioning her citizenship because of her family name, and being garbed in traditional Chinese martial getup.  To these she was quoted on Facebook: “My last name’s Chinese and yet I’m a Filipina more than anything else. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in the PH, and represent the Philippines wherever I go. Mahal ko ang bayan ko.”

The PUNCH learned more about Agatha in an exclusive interview.

:She’s 21 years old and recently earned her degree in Consular and Foreign Relations at the De La Salle University last year. But she looks forward to pursuing law studies after she retires from her sport, which she said is not happening soon.

:When asked why she chose wushu as her sport, she simply said: “It’s different.” She’s been active in the sport for 12 years!

: It’s true that she was in pain during the matches because she has been suffering from tendonitis and slipped disc from her earlier matches and training.  She could not take pain killer because of the doping rule in games.

:Her win in SEAG in Manila was not the first she posted in international events. She’s already won medals in wushu tournaments overseas.  

: She trained in Fujian province in China for four months under a Chinese coach in preparation for the 30^th SEAG in Manila. But she always had a Filipino coach in Manila since she started.

: The Philippine Sports Commission took her under its wings and supported her in her sports career since 2012.

: She learned to be competitive since she was three years old.

: She and her family regularly visits Dagupan during Christmas holidays.

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