Rodolfo Reyes Jr. once again put the Philippines on top of the podium after delivering a golden performance at the Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championship in South Korea.
The Filipino taekwondo standout captured the gold medal in the Men’s U40 Senior II Recognized Poomsae event on Wednesday, defeating competitors from Denmark and South Korea to successfully defend his title in the category for the second straight year.
The victory added another international achievement to Reyes’ growing résumé, which already includes a silver medal finish at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December.
Beyond winning gold, the Dasmariñas, Cavite native earned another distinction by being named Best Athlete for two consecutive editions of the prestigious tournament.
“Back to back gold. Forever grateful to hear our national anthem once again,” Reyes wrote on his social media post.
Reyes’ role in Philippine taekwondo extends beyond competing, as he also serves as one of the national team’s coaches alongside fellow mentors Rani Ann Ortega and Jeordan Dominguez.
Other Filipino athletes also delivered podium finishes in the tournament.
Darius Venerable secured a silver medal, while Juvenile Faye Crisostomo claimed bronze in the men’s and women’s Virtual Taekwondo U35 categories, respectively.
OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.
Cheska Paula Banawa added another silver medal for the Philippines after placing second in the Junior Female -49kg division, while Patrick King Perez earned bronze in the Recognized Poomsae U30 Male category.
The Philippine team also reached the podium in the team competition, with Justin Kobe Macario, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, Jay-r Casas, Janna Dominique Oliva, and Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape taking home the bronze medal in the Freestyle Poomsae Team Over 17 category.
This year’s Chuncheon Korea Open featured one of the biggest fields in the tournament’s history. According to the Chuncheon Leisure and Taekwondo Organizing Committee, the competition welcomed around 4,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries, making it the largest edition in the event’s 26-year history.
The Open Championships sparring and official poomsae competitions were held on July 19, with about 2,500 participants joining from the opening day through the event’s early stages. Foreign athletes accounted for 51 percent of the participants.
Reyes’ golden performance once again highlighted the Philippines’ growing presence in international taekwondo, with the country’s medalists proving their competitiveness against athletes from around the world.
Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!
Follow our Facebook page Sports PH News today and join the community of passionate sports fans.
Leave a Reply