Wanted: Bigger, stronger athletes

‘We have the speed and skill. What I noticed during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, was that our opponents were equally fast and skillful but they were also big and strong.’ — PTA chief Rafael Alunan III

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.

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.

Photographs by joey sanchez mendoza for the daily tribune @tribunephl_joey
A select group of poomsae taekwondo players give a demonstration before the Rotary Club of Manila during the Club's meeting at the Manila Polo Club last Thursday, 9 November 2023, with three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jocel Ninobla leading the way as they wowed the Club with their moves. Philippine Taekwondo Association president Rafael Alunan III (who is also RC Manila president) said he is '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. When they go home, it's either they are world champions or gold medalists in their respective areas of expertise.'

"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.

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.

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.