Taekwondo association stages premier event

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Taekwondo Association stages its premier event – the 2018 SMART/MVP Sports Foundation Best of the Best Championships – on Sept. 1-2 at Ayala Mall’s South Park in Alabang, Muntinlupa with 750 participants.

Top blackbelts from 12 regions including ARMM, CAR, CARAGA and the National Capital Region (NCR) will showcase their talents in the prestigious tournament. Fighters with Olympic weight will vie in the senior division while those with WTF weight will dispute honors in the Junior, Cadet and Grade School divisions.

Competition will be conducted in Kyorugi (free sparring) and Poomsae (forms).

Poomsae contenders are expected to present a high level of taekwondo’s foot techniques like jumping yopachgi, 720 spinning kick and kicking with acrobatic actions.

Only gold medal winners in national events such as NCR Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as well as UAAP, NCAA, AFP-PNP Olympics and all PTA competitions in Metro Manila and the other regions, the Taekwondo Blackbelt Brotherhood, Taekwondo Blackbelt Sorority and the Philippine team are qualified to join, according to tournament director Jesus Morales III.

Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of SMART Communications and PLDT and a solid patron of Philippine taekwondo, has thrown his full support to the huge number of jins in his bid to help produce an Olympic gold for the country.

Once again, Pangilinan has thrown his full support to the Best of the Best competition. The other sponsors are PLDT, Meralco and TV5.

Martial arts enthusiasts and sports fans, especially children who are interested to learn the sport, are invited  to watch the competition which starts at 8 a.m.