With powering forms and defined pattern of defense-and-attack, two Ilongga jins who represented the Philippines, garnered medals in the 2022 Asian Cadet, Junior, & Para Open Taekwondo Championships on Monday, Aug. 22 at the Ho Chi Minh Indoor Sports Stadium of Military Zone No. 7 in Vietnam.

Leading the squad, Iloilo Mark V. Pinggol (MVP) Taekwondo gym pride Julianna Martha Uy wowed the crowd at the start of the competition, following impressive gold and silver medal finishes for the country.

The Denmark Pinggol-mentored jin first snatched the silver medal in the Individual Female Cadet poomsae event. She scored 7.59 points ahead of Japan’s 7.58 points and behind Chinese Taipei’s 7.74 points.

“I am overwhelmed since this was my first time competing internationally with the National Team and won a gold and silver medal. Training almost three times a day away from home was challenging but it all paid off. I am very grateful to those who helped and supported me,” Uy explained.

The mighty player from Ateneo de Iloilo-Santa Maria Catholic School was unstoppable in the second event. She teamed up with Acey Blanco Oglayon and Casey De Leon to cop the gold medal in Female Cadet Poomsae Team category.

Jaja Uy, Yanna’s mother, said they are very proud of Julianna and her team. Truly, they reap what they sow.

“I saw their hard work and perseverance to become the best version of themselves. More than the medals, being able to perform with pride and confidence is already an achievement itself,” she added.

For Pinggol, he said that Yanna’s achievement will fuel them more to keep on working hard.

“Of course as a coach, indi gid malikawan ang kulba during the competition, especially nga first face-to-face namon ini nga hampang after the pandemic and under the national team. Confident ako Kay Yanna and dako ang nabulig sang one month nga stay nya sa Manila with coach Rani Ortega. Ga flashback sa akon ang time nga naga start pa lang siya, ang time nga may mga failures kami. Layo gid ini ang madangatan sang bata nga ini kay very hardworking gid siya, determined and pisan sa training. With this success, nalab-ot namon ang one of our goals in Poomsae,” he added.

Pinggol also shared that he learned a lot from his Vietnam experience. “May baseline na kami sa international and we will continue our grassroots program nga maka create sang amo ni nga level of players. Damo kita dira elite blackbelts na ready naman to compete. Thankful ako kay na witness ko ini personally and this experience will help me to redesign a program nga maka create kami sang international level na players,” he explained.

Meanwhile, another Ilongga jin made the country proud after Elizabeth Marie Borres of A. Diasnes Gym clinched a bronze medal in the Team Female Junior Poomsae event alongside Antonnette Medallada and Aesha Oglayon.

Borres, mentored by coach Floramie Diasnes, also made a name after winning the gold medal in the 2022 SMART/MVPSF National Online Interschool Poomsae Championships.

For Borres, she thanked her team for their never-ending encouragement and support, for always pushing her and the team to go above and beyond their limits.

“Truly this experience is another chapter in the books and one that I’ll never forget! Although this journey may be over, this is just the beginning. I’ll work harder to learn from my mistakes and come back stronger from here on out. I would say that winning the bronze medal in Vietnam was incredible because I’ve seen the hard work, struggles, and dedication my teammates and I went through to achieve this award,” she added.

According to Jake Borres, Elizabeth’s father, they are extremely proud of Ela’s achievement as being a part of the Philippine National Taekwondo Poomsae Team and earning a medal for our country.

“It was not an easy journey for her and the rest of the team, but hard work and perseverance has definitely paid off,” he disclosed.IMT Sports