Lopez revives love for taekwondo

After a three-year lull, Pauline Lopez has fallen in love with taekwondo anew.

Lopez, a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, bared that she rediscovered her love for the sport after venturing into coaching through her Shero Taekwondo in Taguig City.

The comely jin had a fruitful national team career that started when she flew from California to represent the country in the 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar in 2013.

Then, she won the gold medals in the biennial meets in Singapore in 2015 and Manila in 2019 as well as the title in the Asian Taekwondo Championships in 2016.

Her last international stint was in the Asian Olympic Qualifier in Jordan in 2021, where she fell short of competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

Now, Lopez is no longer with the national team but it doesn’t mean that she’s no longer in love with the sport that prompted her to win the hearts of the Filipinos.

“Oh, I fell in love with the sport again. I love it. My Taekwondo school is Shero, which is a female empowerment school,” said Lopez, who earned her Psychology degree at Ateneo de Manila University.

“I think it was (2021 when) I was heartbroken from the sport. Things weren’t going my way, but God led me to this path where maybe it’s time to pass on what you know and love the sport all over again.”

She added that developing the stars of tomorrow is more of a vocation, her way of giving back to the sport.

“This is my way of finding the next champion, I guess, and teaching them what I’ve learned through years of competing,” she added.

Coaching has served as the exit plan of former national team members.

Four-time SEA Games gold medalist and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics jin Kirstie Alora is coaching the taekwondo teams of both De La Salle University and College of Saint Benilde while another former Olympian in Sam Morrison is also developing future stars.

Lopez, however, refused to reveal whether teams from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and National Collegiate Athletic Association have already dialed her number to inquire for her coaching services.

“Secret,” Lopez said, adding that her door remains open for competitive action.

“I pray I’m guided to the right path. If that’s there, then it’s there. If it’s not, it’s not.”

“I haven’t even announced it yet because I’m still in love with it. We don’t know if I’m going to come back or not.”