Go, Rivero lead cast in Petron taekwondo championships

Olympians Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero will banner around 800 jins who will vie for honors in the Smart/Petron Carlos Palanca Jr. (CPJ) taekwondo championships on Feb. 8 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

PTA president Robert Aventajado said poomsae, which means forms, would also be one of the events to be contested in the one-day competition sponsored by Smart Communications, PLDT, Petron, Milo, Adidas and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Go, Rivero and the other leading blackbelts in the country will seek slots on the Philippine team pool. The participating athletes will display their wares in the senior, junior and gradeschool divisions during the sparring events.

Poomsae is performed by following a systematic movement in consecutive sequences against imaginary or multiple opponents. It consists of movements using the hands and feet and inter-connected techniques like blocking, punching, striking, thrusting and kicking. Poomsae helps improve flexibility breathing, balance, power, eye focus and mental discipline.

There will be five divisions – individual men and women, team men and women and pair – with each division composed of seven categories – junior, first senior, second senior, first master, second master, first team and second team.

According to organizing committee chair Sung Chon Hong, the Philippine team members will compete this year in the world taekwondo championships in Denmark and the Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

 while the junior national team members will try to qualify for the 2010 World Youth Olympics in Singapore.

On the other hand, those making it to the poomsae squad will see action in the world poomsae championships in November.

Parents interested in enrolling their children in taekwondo and sports enthusiasts are invited to watch the tournament, which starts at 9 a.m.