Ilongga jin Beatriz Karina Belicena made the country proud after she was nominated as Best Poomsae in Senior Online Female category of the prestigious MundoTaekwondo COVID Times 2020 Awards.
The pride of Jaro, Iloilo City shared to IMT News that she was shocked when the organizer messaged her, telling she was nominated.
The award aims to select best international Taekwondo who before and during the Pandemic were active in competitions, classes and promoting Taekwondo online.
Belicena recently captured the gold medal in the 2020 US World Open and Para Taekwondo Championships at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. She slayed other competing jins around the globe and snatched the top spot in the Individual Female Poomsae – senior division.
The only thing that Belicena can connect with her nomination is that for the past 7-8 months, she’s competing continuously, almost every month. This year, the initial blessing that she though was able to win first place in the 1st Online World Poomsae Championships last May. Now it’s almost end of the year, this so far has been a surprise highlight for her – being nominated and recognized by Mundo Taekwondo globally.
“Personally, I think I was nominated because sang sunud-sunod ko na International tournaments, and winning the tournaments, they slowly recognize me as one of those athletes na very active this year for international tournaments,” she said.
“It’s a very humbling experience, kay never gid ko nag-expect. I don’t even know that awards exist. All those other athletes na who got nominated are all national team representing their countries. Two of them are even world champions, and big names in the Poomsae World. So, just being nominated and being recognized is a great honor,” she added.
Currently, Belicena works and trains young aspiring jins through her online taekwondo class in the United States.IMT
