Veterans show way in taekwondo juniors

A couple of most valuable performers in last year’s junior competitions of the Samsung Best of the Best taekwondo championships lived up to expectations yesterday by advancing to the junior men’s and women’s finals at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

John Paul Lizardo, a 17-year-old flyweight, and Cathy Jane Hampac, a 16-year-old finweight from Zamboanga, easily disposed of their respective rivals in the semifinals of the tourney organized by the Philippine Taekwondo Association, managed by IMG, sponsored by Samsung and supported by Philippine STAR, Accel, Colours, Kix, Ayala Center and 103.5 K Lite.

Lizardo, finweight gold medalist last year and 2002 US Open silver winner, scored roundhouse and bullet kicks in the second round en route to a 5-1 victory over Andy Perdigueros of the Negros Tigers.

Hampac banked on swift sidekicks and a tough defense to whip CSA’s Mary Abigail Rustria, 4-1.

Lizardo will dispute the crown with Korean Open veteran Giorgio Von de Guzman while Hampac will square off with AUF’s Cristina Faye Dagpin.

De Guzman beat General Santos’ Emmanuel Sta. Ana, 6-2, while Dagpin toppled MTC’s Roshell Ann Lavalan, 3-1.

Three other junior women and four junior men made it to the finals. They are Irene Parker of Clark, Gerrielyn Decatus of SSA, Kathleen Roble of Cagayan de Oro, Juan Ricardo Bernardino of Red Dragon, Billy Joel Corral of Meycauayan, Jeffrey Figueroa of PPC and Nolene Hyn delos Reyes of Zamboanga.

Parker nipped Jessica Joy Ballesteros, 3-2, while Decatus shut out Camille Valencia, 3-0, to arrange a showdown for the flyweight gold.

Roble spilled Frances Pagado of DPS, 2-0, to gain the bantam finals.

Bernardino defeated Jet Panes, 6-4, while Corral tripped Joseph Van Gacoscos of Ilocos Sur, 3-2, to set up their bantam gold showdown.

Figueroa and Delos Reyes whipped Benedict Polloso, 3-1, and Krisanto Carillo, 7-3, respectively, to make it to the featherweight finals.

Semifinal action was ongoing at presstime. The tourney continues until Sunday, with boys and girls figuring in the concluding bouts.