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A BIG group of Smart/Petron taekwondo jins left
Thursday for Seoul to vie for honors in the 2008 World Taekwondo
Expo Festival in Muju and Jeonju.
Philippine Tae kwon do
Association President Robert Aventajado said the Smart/Petron team
of 40 senior, junior and young junior athletes and six officials are
confident of finishing No. 1 again in the prestigious tournament
which has lured 50 countries including the US, France, Spain, China,
Japan and Germany.
PTA vice president Sung Chon Hong
recalled that last year, the Smart/Petron jins won 29 gold, eight
silver and three bronze medals in sparring; 10 gold, 15 silver and
12 bronze medals in individual poomsae and 18 bronzes in group
poomsae. The other event is breaking.
“The tournament is a good
opportunity for our athletes to improve their skills, learn new
techniques and gain much needed international exposure,” said
Hong, shortly before the team’s departure.
The members of the team supported
by Smart Communications, PLDT, Petron, Philippine Sports Commission
and Adidas are Clyde Men Kent Batangan, Dave Ivan Hezeta, Marfred
Marasigan, Jeffrey Paulite, Eugene Torres, Ysabel Kate Mercado,
Crizabelle Gayle Vargas, Kiela Therese Montinola, Tristan Jay
Rapista, Danille Encinares, Ron Servito, Sabrina Rae Aquino,
Catherine Kaye Tandingan, Lee Angelo Ariston, Matthew Cordero, Seth
Jairo Macaraig, Rannie Estafano Pabilico, Romelle Roa, Adellyne
Rochelle Javier, Paulino Naguiat, Beatrice Anne Escriba, Stephanie
Ann Cochico, Jojie Manluctao, Toni Encinares, Maria Jessica Tolin,
Melanie Hope Douglas and John Rainart Onofre Santo IV. Team
officials are Ricardo Santiago Jr. and Cmdr Loreto Velasquez.
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