Taekwondo team easily exceeds target

PHNOM PENH – The Philippine taekwondo team produced its best performance in the Southeast Asian Games since the 2019 edition at home with its six golds, one silver and eight bronzes here.

Poomsae champs Patrick Perez (men’s individual), Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Nicole Labayne and Aidine Laxa (women’s team) and kyorugi rulers Kurt Barbosa (men’s -54kg), Arven Alcantara (men’s -68kg), Samuel Morrison (men’s -87kg) and Elaine Alora (women’s -73kg) led the medal rush in the team’s biggest haul since winning 8-9-4 in Manila.

Head of delegation Rocky Samson said the Pinoy jins actually exceeded their pre-tournament target.

“We were targeting four golds – at least two in poomsae and two in kyorugi,” said Samson, whose team ranked second overall behind Thailand (7-6-2).

The recognized poomsae men’s team of Perez, Ian Corton and Joaquin Tuzon accounted for the lone silver while Ninobla and Corton (recognized poomsae mixed pair), Jeordan Dominguez, Darius Venerable, Justin Macario, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo and Zyka Angelica Santiago (freestyle mixed team), Veronica Garces (women’s -45kg), Nicole McCann (women’s -57kg), Joseph Chua (men’s under-65kg), Dave Cea (men’s -80kg), Baby Jessica Canabal (women’s -53kg) and Laila Delo (women’s -67kg) got bronzes.

The jins easily surpassed their 2-5-2 collection last year in Hanoi, doing so despite rules setting a limit on events non-Cambodian countries can enter.