Nationals Lead In Taekwondo In PNG National Championships

The Philippine National Team continued its winning streak, grabbing 10 of 27 gold medals at stake in taekwondo but was shocked with the superb performance of Baguio City which had a share of nine gold medals for a chance to place second overall in that event.

The two front running teams dueled in men’s and women’s senior divisions as well as in junior boys and girls divisions of taekwondo during the second day of competition in the Philippine National Games (PNG) national championships at St. Columban College in Lingayen.

The nine gold medals of the nationals were won in the senior women’s middleweight division by Camille Ann Bonje who beat Baguio’s Karla Angela Soria in middleweight while Zozen Parajes of Cebu salvaged third place.

Welterweight Paola Rose Salazar, also a national player, took the gold in senior women’s division when she pummeled Marjelle Katrina Sy of Caloocan in the final while Charis Angel Tamayo of Tagum City took the bronze.

In lightweight, national player Nicole Ann Mc Cann took the gold at the expense of Cherry May Balingit of Davao City who settled for a silver while Alyssa Asigurado of Davao City won the bronze medal.

Featherweight Rhezie Arazon snatched the gold when she prevailed in the final over Zay Cases of the University of Sto. Tomas while Aranne Aregusado, also of UST, grabbed the bronze.

The other gold medalists are Noelyn Rose Campos in the flyweight division who whipped Carmela Coran of Cebu in the final while Karen Cells whipped Coleen Heria of Baguio City in finweight division.

The other nationals who won the gold are Joaquin Mendoza in the bantamweight division, Arven Alcantara in the lightweight division, Eddtone Bobb Lumasac in the welterweight, Abram Lance Cuvinar in middleweight and Keybert Lee Lumbania in the heavyweight division all in men’s senior.

Phoebe Kate de Guzman grabbed the lone gold for Baguio City in the middleweight division with two Pangasinense jins Diine Grace de Guzman and May Ann Moreno grabbing silver and bronze, respectively.

In the light heavyweight division, the gold was won by Regindell May Tibug who whipped Allysa Nicole Tersol of Pangasinan in the final round.

The other gold medalists from Baguio in the junior women’s division are Rowena Chiorachor in lightweight, Realis Lorena Tibiando in welterweight, Ma. Kaye Shanelle Romuar in light middleweight division Kirby Dreyfus Bulwayan in finweight, Ivan Murray Solimen in bantamweight, Alfriz Arevalo in welterweight, Gabriel Salaknib Soria in middle weight; and Gabriel Alfon Gongora in light heavyweight, all in the junior men’s division. (PNA) LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA