Pinoy jins bag 53 medals, lead ASEAN championships

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino athletes sparkled at the start of the two-day 14th ASEAN Taekwondo Championships Saturday, bagging 53 medals, including 20 golds, to inch ahead of Vietnam at the Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.

The Vietnamese have so far posted 46 medals with 14 golds to emerge as the Filipinos’ top rivals after the completion of Poomsae and Kyorugi (free sparring) in the male and female junior and cadet competitions among eight ASEAN countries.

Myanmar’s jins have seven medals, followed by Singapore with three and Cambodia two with the three other entries – Malaysia, Brunei and Timor-Leste – still hoping to break into the medal board.

The featured event in the two-day tourney – the contests among senior men and women in free sparring – were still being disputed at press time.

The Philippines’ leading tally was contributed by male and female fighters who also produced 20 silver and 13 bronze medals.

Among the Poomsae gold medalists were Sofia Ysabelle Sarmiento, Justin Kobe Macario, James Oranza, King Nash Alcairo, Cindy Joy Diasnas, Laeia Simoune Soria, Faustina Marie Anicete, Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Patrick King Perez, Raphael Enrico Mella, Janna Dominique Oliva and Jeffry Ysmael.

Among the junior and cadet gold medalists were Timothy John Arcabos, Richard Christopher Cajulis, Justin Mark Agustin, Julio Miguel Zapata, Jose Jacob Cartagena, Legalas Penaredondo, Jade Irish Papa, Sharifa Vianca Cruz,Catalina Cristiana Tiu and Amanda Cabling.