RP jinns seek Olympic slots in Bangkok elims

Three Southeast Asian Games taekwondo gold medalists–Donald David Geisler III, Mary Antoinette Rivero and Margarita Bonifacio–fly to Bangkok today to pursue the Philippines’ bid for berths in the Athens Olympics in August, this year.

Geisler, a welterweight like the 16-year-old Rivero, is seeking his second Olympic stint, having represented the country together with Roberto Cruz, Eva Marie Ditan and Jasmin Strachan four years ago in Sydney.

Rivero and Bonifacio, a heavyweight who bagged a gold medal in last December’s Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in the middleweight class, are both hopeful of making it to Athens.

"They all have good chances of qualifying," said Philippine Taekwondo Association vice president and delegation head Sung Chon Hong yesterday. "All three (Geisler, Rivero and Bonifacio) have prepared rigorously for this (Asian qualifying) tournament (on Jan. 14 and 15)."

Tshomlee Go, a flyweight, has so far made it to the Athens Games, claiming his berth in last December’s world qualifying tournament in Paris.

Team manager Jesus Morales III and Korean coach Tae Hyung Kim are also accompanying Geisler, Rivero and Bonifacio in the trip supported by Petron and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Geisler, Rivero and Bonifacio performed impressively in the Vietnam Games where the Filipinos emerged as overall champions in the taekwondo competition by bringing home five gold, three silver and six bronze medals.

Based on the setup approved by the World Taekwondo Federation, a country can qualify only as many as four athletes in the Olympics.