The win streak for the young taekwondo jins under the banner of the Bacolod City-based NTU Tigers continues with the team bringing home trophies and medals from the 38th National Taekwondo Championships held July 26-27 at the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Stadium in Manila.
Since joining the elite national competition back in 1999 under the mentorship of champion taekwondo coach Jimjim Chua, the NTU managed to snatch team championships and gold medals in individual events.
In this year’s edition of the tournament, with Crystal Pauline Reyes taking over the role as head coach and Gaudencio Tabanao, Robert Tambanillo, and Bong Mercurio as assistant coaches, the NTU Tigers fielded four teams in the Advance divisions and one in the Novice division.
The novice cadet boys team, composed of Christopher Arro, Armel delos Reyes, EJ Meremonte, Lucky Sitjar, and Jeril Melivo bagged the championship after prevailing over Regio 1 in their first fight and against BTTC Bocaue in the second fight.
The advance junior women’s team of the NTU Tigers, with members Ma. Kristina Mercurio, Princess Park, Julienne Ysabel Bermejo, Tanya Mosquera, Paulin Gavin, Anjeli Canencia, and Wnche Doromal, settled for the first runner-up honors after bowing to the Baguio team in the championship round.
In their first fight, the NTU junior women’s team beat Rizal Province then subdued the EA-ICA (Calabarzon) in their second assignment to advance into the finals against Baguio, the latter having three national team players in the lineup.
The NTU cadet girls, meanwhile, salvaged the bronze medal in the advance division by prevailing over Dilliman Preparatory School in the battle for third place. The team is composed of Via Trocio, Camille Andrea Miraflores, Hannah Gwin Flores, Shaira Isabel Garbanzos, Caroline Dean Espinosa, and Stephanie Alexandra Marie Arrieta.
Also bringing home a bronze medal was the grade school girls’ advance team composed of Jamie Hannah Agaloos, Nel Trisha Serimogan, Charlize Subardiaga, Jebie Montebon, Pia Miravalles and Shane Clapiz. The team placed third after beating San Miguel Taekwondo team in the match for the bronze medal.
Completing the five NTU Tigers teams that competed in the tournament was the grade school boys advance group composed of Cyrus Magnu, Davon Pecha, Byron Abad, James Park, Vince Dumancas, and Stephen Serimogan.
The team failed to advance into the next round after yielding to BTTC Bocaue in their first fight.*NAB
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