Virtual taekwondo competition in Season 96 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association successfully came to a conclusion last week.
Held from June 14 to July 5, taekwondo jins from the NCAA’s 10-member schools competed in the different events, part of the league ‘s collective push amid the pandemic under the theme “Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96.”
Taekwondo events included Poomsae Standard, Poomsae Freestyle, Speed Kicking Juniors, Speed Kicking Women’s, and Speed Kicking Men’s.
The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB) emerged as the overall champion of the Speed Kicking event in the men’s and women’s divisions.
In the men’s division, the Blazers amassed a total of five gold medals from Ivan Murray Solimen (finweight division); Laurence Scott Santiago (featherweight); Mikko Michael Regala (welterweight); Matthew Cloyd Roxas (light middleweight); and Josemari Aiko Ong (heavyweight).
CSB’s good form extended in the distaff side, with its women players taking four gold medals care of Krizelle Therese Yadao (flyweight); Loralee Natividad (welterweight); Anne Christine Obenza (middleweight); and Lucille Cunanan (heavyweight).
Also emerging victorious in the Speed Kicking men’s division were San Beda University’s Jack Janggo Natividad (flyweight) and Christian Neil Arches (lightweight); and Arellano University’s Stanley Roy Laguio (bantamweight).
Others scoring gold in the women’s division were Jose Rizal University’s Emie Fernandez (finweight); San Beda University’s Princess Angel Doria (bantamweight); San Sebastian College-Recoletos’ Liza Leslie Bagay (featherweight); and Arellano University’s Paulene Gaye Rey (lightweight).
In the Juniors Speed Kicking division, San Beda ruled with three gold medals.
Topping their rivals in their respective divisions were San Beda’s Ignatius Vicente Lorenzo Pinera (bantamweight); Philip Joshua Lee (lightweight); and Louell Ivannerich Mamaclay (light middleweight).
Winning gold as well were CSB-La Salle Greenhills jins Victor Emmanuel Rodriguez and Raphael Ongkiko in the welterweight and middle/light heavyweight divisions, respectively.
Champions in other divisions were Lyceum of the Philippines University’s John Patrick Moneda (fin/flyweight); Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Luke Morel (featherweight); and Arellano University’s Joshua Lyndon Dionio (heavyweight).
Poomsae
In Juniors Poomsae, Emilio Aguinaldo University (EAC) triumphed.
EAC’s John Vergel Reyes snagged the gold medal in Poomsae Standard Juniors while John Mc Leary Ornido won in the Poomsae Freestyle Standard Juniors.
Topping the women’s and men’s divisions in the Poomsae Standard, meanwhile, were Jose Rizal University’s Emie Fernandez and San Beda University’s Alfritz Victoria Arevalo.
CSB’s Krizelle Therese Yadao and San Beda University’s Michael Christian Macario were named champions in the Freestyle Standard Women’s Division and Freestyle Standard Men’s Division, respectively.
The taekwondo event was broadcast daily over GTV in close coordination with the NCAA’s official TV partner GMA Network.
Meanwhile, a day after NCAA taekwondo ended, the virtual chess competition kicked off on July 6.
For this season, all chess matches are done via knockout games, with the next round being the Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinal round, semifinals and finals.
Season 96 of the NCAA airs on GTV weekdays at 3 p.m. (with replays weeknights at 10:50 p.m.), Saturdays at 4:30 p.m., and Sundays at 5:05 p.m. For more information on the league, visit NCAA Philippines’ official website www.ncaa.com.ph and follow @ncaaphilippines and @gmasynergy on social media. – Michael Angelo S. Murillo
