RP jins rarin’ to strut wares

With proper training and motivation, the Petron Philippine taekwondo team is confident of putting up a solid campaign against the best jins in the region in the Southeast Asian Games slated Sept. 9-18 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Four hours training, balanced diet, limited night outs, are the basic Spartan routine a determined jin should brace for in order to be a part of the team that represents the Philippines in international competitions like the SEAG.

The 28-man national squad has been training in earnest for quite some time now, getting up at 5 a.m. to do two hours of kicking, jogging, stretching and bending.

"Self-discipline, control, and determination are important," said Margarita Bonifacio, 22, and one of the jins to watch out for in the biennial event.

"Anyone interested to get into the sport should be prepared to take pain and pressure because that’s the price of being in the sport," she added.

The squad is under the stewardship of Dr. Manolo Gabriel.