Rinna Babanto (Photo from Rinna Babanto Twitter) JAKARTA, Indonesia – All she wanted was to dance.

Rinna Babanto ran away with an Asian Games medal, instead.

Together with teammates Juvenile Faye Crisostomo and Janna Dominique Oliva, Babanto emerged as the country’s first medalist after plucking the bronze in the women’s poomsae team event of the 18th Asian Games Sunday at the Jakarta Convention Center here.

The Filipino troika rammed through Indonesia in the quarterfinals before being halted by South Korea in the semifinals, 8.020-7.110, to settle for the bronze medal.

Still, it was a sweet finish for a Cebuana who has been dancing her heart away before taekwondo took her to the spotlight.

“I used to be a dancer. I dance in various villages around Cebu,” said Babanto, who took up the sport when she was 11 as another hobby aside from dancing.

“Actually, my sister used to take up taekwondo. I got envious because she knew how to split, which was one of the basic requirements in taekwondo. So, I took up the sport to gain the flexibility that I could use in dancing.”

Babanto said being a dancer helps her excel in taekwondo, especially in poomsae where routine, flexibility and synchronicity are very important.

“Like dancing, we also need movement, synchronicity and style in poomsae,” said Babanto, a senior AB Sports Management student at De La Salle University.

“Before, I used to compete in sparring events in taekwondo. But when my coaches learned that I’m also a good dancer and saw my flexibility, they convinced me to take up poomsae.”

“Everything went well from there. I became a UAAP player, a national team member, a gold medalist in the SEA Games and now this, a bronze medal (in the Asian Games).”