Olympic veterans rule taekwondo tiff

Sydney Olympians Roberto Cruz, Donald Geisler and Eva Marie Ditan banked on their superior skills to pace gold-medal winners in the recent 24th Milo national taekwondo championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Carrying the colors of Tip Top Shape, Cruz ruled the finweight class by beating Army’s Angelito Ong in the finals, while Central Gym’s Geisler toppled UST’s Alexander Briones in the lightweight category.

Ditan of DLSU-Taft whipped UST’s Nancy Remollana in the women’s finweight finals.

The other winners were:

Senior men — Tshomlee Go, PAF, flyweight; Manuel Rivero Jr., DLSU-Taft, bantam; Jefferthom Go, Navy, feather; Mark Rivero, UST, welter; Dax Morfe, DLSU-Taft, middle; and Chris Clemente, Army, heavy.

Senior women — Daleen Cordero, UST, fly; Twinkle Catalan, UP, bantam; Kalindi Tamayo, UST, feather; Mary Antoinette Rivero, St. Paul Pasig, light; Manel Sy Ycasas, Central Gym, welter; Sally Solis, Teamsport, middle; and Margie Bonifacio, Ateneo, heavy.

Junior men — John Paul Lizardo, DPS, finweight; Tristan Tiozon, MHS-Pio, fly; Mark Anthony Bunyi, LSQC, bantam; Zaldy Bautista Jr., Teamsport, feather; Jose Enriquez, NTU, light; Brix Ramos, Teamsport, welter; Kervin Ong, Bulacan, light/middle; Ernesto Mendoza III, Cagayan de Oro, middle; Federico Hipolito, La Salle, light-heavy; and Arem Mangulabnan, Holy Angel, heavy.

Junior women — Pamela Cababasay, Iloilo City, fin; Kathleen Alora, Laguna, fly; Nelissa Alba, Quezon, bantam; Richilda Erlandez, Ilocos Norte, feather; Shirley Ann Epan, Zamboanga, light; Ramie Ortega, Powerflex, welter/middle; Criselda Roxas, Muntinlupa, middle; Esther Marie Singson, Central Gym, welter; Sabrina Yamsuan, STC, light/heavy; and Jan Ross Paquing, Superbodies, heavy.

Gradeschool boys — Angeli Mark Barro, Pampanga, below 128 cm; John Alindogan, NTU-Tigers, 129-136 cm; Tristan Trespeces, Iloilo City, 137-144 cm; Juan Bernardino, Canossa School, 145-152 cm; and Giorgio de Guzman, UST, 153-160 cm.

Gradeschool girls — Jyra Marie Lizardo, DPS, not over 128 cm (not over 11 years old); Rotrice Ashley Lavalan, Maynila, over 128-136 cm (not over 12); Thony Parado, Bulacan, 136-144 cm (not over 12); Eireen San Diego, PCS, over 144-152 cm (not over 13); and Kristine Elaine Alora, Laguna, over 152-160 cm (not over 13).