Rivero leads RP jins romp in Samsung finals

Olympiad veteran Marie Antoinette Rivero came out virtually unscathed in her final round duel with Richelle Dinolan of FEU as she fashioned out a 7-0 victory to bag the gold medal in the light-welterweight division of the fourth Samsung Best of the Best National Taekwondo Championships at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City late Thursday.

Rivero, a veteran of many international competitions, was as quick and accurate on her defense as she was on the offensive, parrying every Dinolan counterattack to emerge a runaway winner in the 59-67 kg class. Her one-sided victory underscored the national team’s romp in the five-day event which gathered the top jins and future stars in the land.

Esther Marie Singson, playing out of UST and member of the RP squad, likewise kicked her way to a 6-1 win over Madonna Boholano of Butuan TKD to capture the gold in the bantamweight division of the tournament sponsored by Samsung for the fourth straight year.

In a duel of RP team mainstays, Loraine Catalan of UP outfoxed UE’s Lilac Mangondili, 3-0, to win the flyweight gold, the same score posted by Elaine Alora of Laguna in beating RP teammate Rani Ann Ortega of UP for the featherweight gold.

Providing the fireworks in an action-packed day was Gerrielyn Arranzanso, who nipped fellow La Sallite and RP teammate Eunice Alora in a thrilling sudden-death to snatch the gold medal in the finweight division, while Zaida Canoy of Socsargen whipped Maurice Dulay of Region-1, 7-4, to rule the middle-heavyweight division.

After a near-disastrous stint in the semis, fancied Tshomlee Go of PAF scored a 4-1 rout of Rommel Roa of FEU to capture the flyweight gold in the men’s side of the event backed by Akari Lights, Aktivade, Bacchus, Ayala Center, The Philippine STAR and Solar Sports.

John Paul Lizardo bagged the gold in the finweight class when Mark Anthony Carmona of UE withdrew due a knee injury after holding the RP team stalwart to a 3-3 tie, the same manner Alex Briones of PAF won the welterweight gold over an injury-stricken Alden Aranda of UE.

Other winners were Manuel Rivero Jr., Jacob Barroga, Carlo Manalo of Delta and Dax Morfe.

Rivero, also an RP team mainstay, rapped Mark Aldrin Rico of Baguio, 12-4, to win the bantam gold; Barroga claimed the featherweight gold with a 2-0 victory over fellow FEU bet Jan Joseph Hernandez; Manalo edged Rafael Bondoc of Iligan in sudden death to snatch the lightweight gold; and Morfe, also member of the RP squad, outduelled Michael Alejandrino of La Salle,7-6, to capture the middle-heavyweight gold medal.

Meanwhile, action resumes at 10 today with the children’s matches in the boys and girls divisions. Hostilities in the juniors category were being played at presstime.