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  • Young Filipino jins chase international success as PH taekwondo team heads to Indonesia Open 

    Young Filipino jins chase international success as PH taekwondo team heads to Indonesia Open 

    Fresh from a breakthrough performance in South Korea, the Philippine taekwondo team is turning its attention to another international test with a bigger goal in mind: developing the next generation of Filipino fighters for the global stage.


    The Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) will send its up-and-coming athletes to the 2026 Asian Taekwondo Indonesia Open Championships scheduled from Aug. 1 to 5 in Jakarta, Indonesia.


    The tournament will feature 30 participating countries, including powerhouse nations such as Korea, Iran, Jordan, Chinese Taipei, China, Cambodia, and Iraq.


    PTA Grandmaster Sung-Chon Hong believes the members of the SMART/MVPSF Philippine taekwondo team are ready to take on the challenge after gaining valuable experience from recent international competitions.


    Hong remains encouraged by the team’s strong showing at the 7th Kimunyong Cup in Seoul, where Filipino athletes captured nine medals, including four golds. The performance provided confidence that the country’s young fighters can compete against some of Asia’s best.


    Leading the Philippine delegation are Ethan Jervey Dayne Chavez (-58kg), Kurt Mykel Curata (-58kg), Felicity Jana Castel (-49kg), Rhiyanne Agatha Shay Cadilena (-57kg), and Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape in poomsae.


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    The men’s kyorugi squad, coached by former national standout Roberto Cruz and Christian Al Dela Cruz, will also feature VonGabriel Polo Barbosa (-54kg), Tor Timothy Castillo (-63kg), Sturdy Jay Gilbuena (-68kg), Cyvir Junio (-74kg), and Marcus Neil Delos Santos (-80kg).


    The women’s lineup includes Caitlin Julia Carlos (-46kg), Sharifa Vianca Dela Cruz (-53kg), Jizyl Javier (-67kg), Mary Heart Capulong (-73kg), and Ashley Rose Reniedo (over 73kg).


    Beyond the main competitors, several young athletes are also being monitored as potential future international representatives. John Daniel Navarro, Jay-R Casas, Jesseray Lucas Frantilla, Nathanael Managbanag, Liam Jethro Jimenez, Dane Shaun Enjealo Subaste, Carl Johnsen Ong, Paul Anthony Rodriguez, and Kemp Prochina are among the other names expected to contribute to the men’s program.


    The women’s development pool also features Aesha Kiara Oglayon, Glaiza Mae Cabural, Julianna Martha Uy, Casey De Leon, Elizabeth Marie Borres, Heza Allyson Serapio, Stella Nicole Yape, Emie Fernandez, and Juliana Mykhail Candelaria.


    For Hong, the Indonesia Open is not only about chasing medals but also about preparing athletes who could represent the Philippines in future major competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.


    The PTA has continued to emphasize athlete development through international exposure and competitive opportunities, with the federation recognized as the country’s governing body for taekwondo and working alongside international organizations such as World Taekwondo.


    With a combination of experienced coaches and emerging fighters, the Philippine team enters Jakarta with confidence, aiming to prove that the country’s next generation of taekwondo athletes is ready to step onto the international stage.


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  • Future taekwondo stars take center stage as PTA hosts 2026 SMART/MVPSF National Championships 

    Future taekwondo stars take center stage as PTA hosts 2026 SMART/MVPSF National Championships 

    The search for the Philippines’ next wave of taekwondo standouts continues this weekend as the country’s top young and established jins gather for the 2026 SMART/MVPSF National Championships on July 25-26 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.


    More than just a competition for medals, the two-day tournament serves as a proving ground for athletes looking to make their mark and catch the attention of the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), which continues to expand the sport’s reach nationwide.

     

    Led by Grandmaster Sung Chon Hong, the PTA is anticipating a record turnout this year as interest in the Korean martial art continues to grow among athletes and enthusiasts from different backgrounds.

     

    Taekwondo clubs and chapters from across the country are sending their strongest representatives, each aiming to establish themselves among the nation’s elite programs.

     

    Adding further prestige to the event is the participation of collegiate athletes from the UAAP and NCAA, along with representatives from various branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. 

     

    Their presence is expected to bring additional intensity and competition to the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, and MILO.

     

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    The championships will feature both Advanced and Novice divisions, with athletes competing across five categories: Seniors, Juniors, Cadet, Gradeschool, and Toddler divisions for both male and female participants.

     

    To ensure fair and accurate judging, the PTA will once again implement the KPNP Protector and Scoring System (PSS) together with the Instant Video Replay (IVR) technology. 

     

    The system aims to minimize officiating errors and maintain the quality of competition throughout the event.

     

    Beyond identifying potential champions, the tournament also hopes to inspire more young Filipinos to embrace taekwondo and discover the discipline, athleticism, and values that come with the sport.

     

    The elimination rounds begin at 9 a.m. on July 25, with the opening ceremony scheduled at 1 p.m., highlighted by a special performance from the Philippine Demonstration Team.

     

    As the country’s taekwondo community continues to grow, the 2026 SMART/MVPSF National Championships offers the perfect stage for aspiring jins to take their first major step toward becoming the sport’s next household names.

     

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  • Kurt Barbosa, Tachiana Mangin spearhead PH campaign in two major taekwondo tournaments in Korea 

    Kurt Barbosa, Tachiana Mangin spearhead PH campaign in two major taekwondo tournaments in Korea 

    For decades, the Philippines has steadily built its reputation in taekwondo at the Asian Games, collecting nearly 30 medals but never reaching the top of the podium. As another continental campaign approaches, the national team is hoping that preparing in the birthplace of the sport will finally provide the breakthrough it has long pursued.


    The Smart/MVPSF Philippine taekwondo team is embarking on an extensive training and competition in South Korea, combining international tournaments with an elite training camp in a move designed to sharpen the country’s top athletes before a packed international calendar.


    Leading the delegation are Tokyo Olympian Kurt Barbosa and Southeast Asian Games champion Tachiana Keizha Mangin, who headline the 39-athlete contingent assembled by the Philippine Taekwondo Association under Grandmaster Sung-Chon Hong.


    Rather than limiting preparations to local training, the association has opted to immerse the national team in South Korea, where the athletes will not only compete against world-class opposition but also continue training after the tournaments.


    Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and Milo, the country’s Kyorugi athletes will first compete in the Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships from July 18 to 22 before seeing action in the Kim Un-yong Cup International Open Taekwondo Championships in Jung-gu, Seoul from July 25 to 28.


    Following both competitions, the squad will stay in South Korea for further training at Kyung Hee University, one of the country’s renowned taekwondo institutions. Meanwhile, the Philippine Poomsae team has already begun its overseas preparation, training at TS Taekwondo since July 9.


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    The tournaments are expected to feature competitors from nearly 40 countries, including powerhouse taekwondo nations Iran, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei and China, giving the Filipinos valuable international exposure ahead of the season’s biggest events.


    The Korea campaign serves as a key part of the team’s buildup for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games scheduled from Sept. 16 to Oct. 4, where the Philippines hopes to finally capture its elusive first taekwondo gold after earning close to 30 medals since its Asian Games debut in Seoul 40 years ago.


    The overseas program will also prepare the national squad for the World Taekwondo Women’s Championships in Taiyuan, China from Aug. 28 to 30, the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Chuncheon from Sept. 16 to 20, and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Dec. 13 to 21.


    Barbosa banners the men’s Kyorugi squad in the under-54kg division alongside Reymundo Calamba III (-54kg), Aljen Aynaga (-58kg), Mythaious Angelous Francois Lustado (-58kg), Brendan Ysrael Hugh Boteros (-63kg), Kenneth Riley Buenavides (-68kg), Dave Cea (-74kg), Nicolas Aaron Castillo (-74kg) and junior standout Chuck Aeron Alaria (-63kg).


    Mangin leads the women’s Kyorugi team with Clarence Sarza (-46kg), Baby Jessica Canabal (-53kg), Laizel Angela Abucay (-53kg), Czarina Mae Danganan (-57kg), Jubilee Briones (-62kg), Merica Lillyn Chan (-67kg), Laila Delo (-67kg), Samanta Gley Duria (-42kg, Junior Division) and Cheska Paula Banawa (-49kg, Junior Division).


    Representing the men’s Poomsae squad are Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape, Justin Kobe Macario, Darius Venerable, Joaquin Dominic Tuzon, Ian Matthew Corton, Patrick King Perez, King Nash Alcairo and Jay-R Casas.


    The women’s Poomsae lineup is composed of Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, Sofia Ysabelle Sarmiento, Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Zyka Angelica Santiago, Janna Dominique Oliva, Maria Nicole Anne Labayne, Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, Aidaine Krishia Laxa, Aesha Kiara Oglayon, Julianna Martha Uy and Stella Nicole Yape.


    Coaching the Philippine delegation are Kirstie Elaine Alora, Gershon Bautista, Paul Romero, Rani Ann Ortega and Jeordan Dominguez.


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