Wanted: Bigger, stronger athletes

Philippine Taekwondo Association president Rafael Alunan III told the Daily Tribune during the 18th Weekly Meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila last Thursday at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City that they are looking for bigger and stronger athletes for competitions overseas.

The national kyorugi team was empty-handed in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last September.

Poomsae player Patrick King Perez was the only Filipino jin to snag a medal in the Asiad after getting a bronze medal in the men's individual event.

Speed and skill

"We have the speed and skill. What I noticed during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, our opponents were equally fast and skillful but they were big and strong," said Alunan, who is also the president of the Rotary Club of Manila.

"We are small so we have to be on the lookout for big, strong, sturdy and skillful taekwondo players in the grassroots," he said.

Demonstration

At the RC Manila meeting at the Manila Polo Club last Thursday, a select group of poomsae players held a demonstration with three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jocel Ninobla leading the way as they wowed the crowd with their moves.

Still and all, Alunan said he is happy with the national team's performances in this year's tournaments.

The Filipino jins had a 6-1-8 gold-silver-bronze medal haul at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and a 1-1-2 medal haul at the 2023 World Combat Games in Riyadh last October.

"In any case, I'm very pleased with how our players have performed in international tournaments, thanks to Hong Sung Chon, the founder of the Philippine Taekwondo Association, chief of staff Rocky Samson and our coaches who earned the right to be called world champions when they were younger," Alunan said.

"When they go home, it's either they are world champions or gold medalists in their respective areas of expertise."