THREE UST Tiger Jins captured medals for the Philippines in the 2023 Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships held from Aug. 8 to 10.
UST’s Kobe Macario and Stella Yape, along with fellow national team competitors Zyka Santiago, Patrick King Perez, and Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, secured the gold medal and were recognized as the top team in the freestyle poomsae mixed team division after earning 7.570 points.
The tandem of Yape and fellow UST Jin Darius Venerable also copped gold after topping the freestyle pair event with a 7.640-point performance.
Venerable, the world No.4 in freestyle poomsae, bested his 7.566-point performance in last year’s competition with 7.670 points to bag bronze in the over-17 men’s freestyle event.
June Ninobla, father of former Lady Jin Jocel Lyn Ninobla, placed third in the individual senior-4 under 60 event.
UST poomsae and national team head coach Rani Ortega was awarded best coach, while Ian Corton was awarded best player and captured gold in the individual male G2 under 30 category.
The Philippines tallied a 3-1-2 gold-silver-bronze medal haul in the poomsae category. Brenn Allen L. Flores
