SUMIKWAT ang host Philippines ng anim pang gold medals sa junior division ng Kyorugi (sparring) discipline sa 16th ASEAN Taekwondo Championships nitong Sabado.
Pawang namayani sina Aldrich Paul Merin (men’s finweight), Kurt Mykel Curata (men’s bantamweight), Ocean Domingo (men’s lightweight), John Angelo Pascual (men’s welterweight), Tachiana Mangin (women’s featherweight), at Chloe Madison Chua (women’s light middleweight), sa tuwa ng cheering crowd sa Ayala Malls Manila Bay sa Parañaque City.
Ang mga Pinoy ay nanalo rin ng pito pang silver medals na kaloob nina Rihannah Caguioa (women’s finweight), Rodito Sinugbojan Jr. (men’s flyweight), Ethan Jervey Chavez (men’s bantamweight), Noel Victorio Macasaet (men’s featherweight), Gian Carlo Fernandez (men’s middleweight), Justin Paul Atienza (men’s light heavyweight), Arsha Rijah Valenzuela (women’s light heavyweight), at Bill Donton III (men’s heavyweight).
Ang bronze medalists ay sina Michael Cabaluna Jr. (finweight), Miguel Zapata and Paul Jacob Daleon (flyweight), Kyle Chin (bantamweight), Roland Montecalvo II (featherweight), Vince Raiane Santianez (lightweight), Jean Sebastian Durana and John Benedict Santos (welterweight), John Renzo Balido and Joshua Emmanuel Deita (light middleweight), at Brandon Lee Milton (middleweight) sa men’s division; at Nicole Macatangay Sanchez (finweight), Shallyne Joy Tallog (flyweight), Samantha Nicole Siboc and Raeka Gamboa Perez (bantamweight), Mary Noelle Alim (featherweight), Kurtney Lexanne Calderon (lightweight), Princess Mitch Salaguban at Tionna Althea Quesada (welterweight), Florianne Limbo (light middleweight), at Sally Mae Aguirre and Sofia Nathalie De Villa (middleweight) sa women’s division.
Ang Pilipinas ay nakalikom na ng kabuuang 18 gold medals makaraang magwagi ng 12 sa opening day noong Biyernes.
Sinimulan din ng mga Pinoy ang kumpetisyon na may 6 silver at 8 bronze medals.
CLYDE MARIANO
