Jins arrange Korean training camp

The Philippine national taekwondo team is eyeing a one-month training camp in South Korea as part of its preparation for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand from 9 to 20 December.

Philippine Taekwondo Association director Stephen Fernandez said the camp will last from three weeks to a month.

Included in the program are goodwill games with different Korean squads and probably similar matches with other foreign teams.

The Filipino jins are looking to surpass their 6-18 gold-silver-bronze medal tally from the 2023 Phnom Penh Games campaign.

“They will be going up against different colleges and at the same, they may end up also in the training camp of the Korean national team,” Fernandez said in an episode of “Off the Court,” the weekly online show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“This is to allow them to spar against athletes that are at their level. It would be good for them to face different jins.”

“It’s not impossible for us to meet other SEA Games countries while we are in Korea.”

The Filipinos will have to step up as they will be entering the SEA Games without veterans Kirstie Alora and Samuel Morrison as they have now retired.

It will be up to the likes of Arven Alcantara and Tokyo Olympian Kurt Barbosa to carry the fight for the Filipinos.

Fernandez cites host Thailand as one of the contenders for this year’s SEA Games.

“The hosts will always have the advantage because they have the support of their countrymen. Their team is also strong,” Fernandez said.