Smart/Phl jins capture 12 medals in Asian University meet

MANILA, Philippines - The Smart national taekwondo team produced another sterling international performance by winning 12 medals, including two golds, in the recent Asian University Kyorugi (free sparring) championships in Cheongyang, Korea.

Mary Anjelay Pelaez (under 46 kg) and Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison (under 58 kg) sparked the Filipinos’ second straight successful international campaign by bagging a gold medal each.

The other Smart/Phl medalists in the 18-country competition were:

Silver – Kristopher Robert Uy (over 87 kg), Francis Aaron Agojo (under 54 kg), Christian Al Dela Cruz (under 68 kg), Ma. Isabella Erika Mora (under 53 kg), Jade Zafra (under 73 kg) and a team of five players and two alternates.

Bronze – Paul Romero (under 63 kg), Nicole Abigail Cham (under 52 kg), Jane Rafaelle Narra (under 57 kg) and Gershon Bautista (under 87).

The Filipinos, whose trip was supported by Smart Communications Inc., MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT, TV5, Meralco and Philippine Sports Commission, received tremendous praise from Philippine Taekwondo Association chief executive officer Sung Chon Hong for their showing.

“They deserve to win.  They worked hard and trained long hours in preparation for the Korean campaign and the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar next month,” said Hong.

Only a few days before the Asian University Games, another Smart/Phl team made waves in the eighth World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships by bringing home three gold, two silver and one bronze medals.

Mikeala Calamba led the Filipinos’ poomsae campaign anew by winning the freestyle individual gold and the team female (under 17 years old) gold with Jocel Lyn Ninobla and Rinna Babanta.

Among the countries which were represented in the Asian University Games were Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, India, Myanmar, Laos, Japan and Cambodia.