Nevertheless, the novelty quickly caught the interest of Boracay resident and Manila nightlife icon Louie Cruz who volunteered to help the couple organize the event. "It’s really very different from the regular fare of rave parties, collegiate volleyball games, and windsurfing competitions which normally grace the island. Technically, it’s a first in the world," he explains. Over a month or two, the trio tenaciously addressed a long list of key tasks for the event: obtaining local permits, sourcing sufficient sponsors, conducting regional eliminations, and bringing a heap of people to that padded outdoor 150 square meter ring at the beachfront of Pearl of the Pacific.
Of course, the idiosyncrasies of the sport are best deconstructed by the gurus who teach it. "In a nutshell, taekwondo is all about the finding peace in yourself and going for gold at the same time. It’s an excellent instrument for self-defense as well as a powerful outlet for aggression and repressed feelings," national team coach Ricky Santiago begins.
On the other hand, Angelito Ong, leader of the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team differentiates the sport from other more popularized martial art forms, "Taekwondo is very different from karate. The former is 70% kicking versus the latter which is 70% punching."
Unlike others activities where taller, bulkier, or stronger players are at an automatic advantage, the sport in question seems to be quite well suited for the Filipino athlete. In fact, according to Olympic team coach Jobet Morales, the country now boasts of three National Team contenders for the upcoming Athens Olympics. Meeting the requirements in the World Olympic Qualifying Round in Paris, France and the Asian Qualifying Round in Thailand, these young men and women will not only have a physical crack at the best fighters from other countries but also have the patriotic chance to reinstate the Philippines in the global taekwondo circuit.
However, the apex was undoubtedly the daily routine of the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team. To the tune of the Mission Impossible theme, these men would physically jettison themselves several meters high and across several people to instantaneously shatter, with their bare feet, a series of wooden boards and fresh apples. In fact, even the hosts of Studio 23’s Sport’s Unlimited was able get some of the board-breaking action. Tennis champion and host Dyan Castillejo recapitulates, "It’s difficult to get the right timing since you don’t even see the board coming, but it’s very explosive and satisfying." Co-host and model Marc Nelson agrees, "Although I have a background in taekwondo, it’s my first time to try anything like this. There’s more hard contact here vis-à-vis other performing martial arts such as capoeira, ushu, and muay thai."
History books aside, Monsour, to this day, constantly tries to find avenues for growth in his personal life and that of his favorite martial art. On one hand, together with some friends, he has opened his own school called the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center, teaching kids from four to 18 years old and up. On the other hand, he has also launched his own line of taekwondo merchandise called Monsour Gear under the Peak Martial Arts brand. "We now retail out uniforms, belts, head gears, kick pads, kick shields, bags, armors, and pouches. It’s one of the few locally-produced but world-class equipment lines in the country," he candidly narrates.
Finally without a doubt, the taekwondo challenge remains as the latest addition in this man’s roster of accomplishments. "I really wanted the natives to participate. So, I put them in the ring and made them spar. Now, they’re all kicking and asking when we’ll come back," he observes. More than the natives of Boracay, the whole country is pretty much sure than Monsour will be back, in one form or another, to share his passion for that fancy footwork called taekwondo.
Monsour Gear is available in Metro Manila at the Rizal Football Stadium and the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center.