Lizardo edges De Guzman, cops jr title

US Open silver medalist John Paul Lizardo of La Salle banked on his experience to nose out UST’s Giorgio Von de Guzman, 3-2, and bag the junior men’s flyweight gold medal yesterday in the Samsung Best of the Best taekwondo championships at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

The 17-year-old Lizardo moved ahead, 1-0, in the first round by hitting De Guzman with a 45-degree kick to the left side, and then kept pace with his rival in their fast and furious encounter the rest of the way to hack out the tight win.

Zamboanga’s Cathy Jane Hampac, last year’s most valuable performer together with Lizardo, kept the junior women’s finweight crown by repeating over Angeles University Foundation’s Cristina Faye Dagpin, 8-5, in the tourney organized by the Philippine Taekwondo Association, managed by IMG, sponsored by Samsung and supported by The Philippine STAR, Accel, Colors, Kix, Ayala Center and 103.5 K Lite.

Hampac battered Dagpin with 45-degree and axe kicks to surge ahead, 6-3, after the first two rounds.

Cotabato’s Rolly Pentecostes, beaten by Lizardo in last year’s fin finals, bagged the title this time by outclassing US and Korean Open veteran Raymund Abellar of Don Bosco Makati, 11-4.

Turning long and 45-degree kicks propelled Pentecostes to a commanding 10-2 lead after two rounds.

Cotabato’s Janine Bolivar and Powerhouse’s Rannie Mercado ruled the girls’ and boys’ not over 128-centimeter finals, respectively.

Bolivar overwhelmed Patricia Rose Tenorio, 16-3, while Mercado whipped Negros’ Michael Telequido, 5-0.

The other junior and children’s final matches were still being fought at presstime.