UB jins champs in nat’l taekwondo tilt

By Isagani S. Liporada

MANILA -- The University of Baguio (UB) Winged Warriors painted Manila red anew clinching the overall crown the 2012 Smart National Inter-School Taekwondo Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium here.

The UB jins coached by the Baguio Defenders triumvirate of Arnold Oglayon, Billy Soria, and Harold Martinez likewise carted away championship trophies in the elementary boys, elementary girls, and junior women categories of the annual tilt staged by the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

Oglayon admitted, “Getting gold in the tournament this year was like threading the needle… schools from Metro Manila and the Visayas really prepared for it.”

 “It all boiled down to who trained the hardest and I credit our medalists for a job well-done,” he added.

 The little Winged Warriors started the gold mint run in sparring, September 22, with Rain Ramon and Arriana Badando bagging first place honors in the elementary girls division; and Irven Langaoen, Clyde Benson, and Ivan Solimen for elementary boys.

Settling for silver are Lei Ramon and AilesterFias-ilon for the girls; and speedsters Rama Chandra Liporada and Tristan Badando for the boys.

 Bronze medalists in the primary school category include Czareana Mendoza, JessaTumlayen, Chelsea Tacay, and Tom Kevin Castillo.

 In the second day of hostilities, September 23, the junior women’s team showed Manila schools why Baguio is a gold mine for taekwondo talents by almost siphoning the category’s gold dry with outstanding performances from Paola Salazar, Brighty Salazar, Angelica Gaw, Suzzane Caslangen, and Shannelle Romuar.

 Their teammates Kate de Guzman and Leslie Agyamoc settled for silver while KrisznaChaitaniaLiporada got bronze.

 It was a harder battle in the junior men’s division with RencerLavestre bagging lone gold for UB. Teammates Tristan Cayago and KendrixGalian on the other hand managed to salvage silvers.

 In seniors, Philippine Team member and UB taekwondo stalwart Keno Anthony Mendoza debuted as a senior men’s player with the Winged Warriors lone gold. Jenny Cabanilla on the other hand managed a silver for the women’s team.

 The bronze winners for the seniors’ team include Karla Monico, Patrick Castillo, Mambi Fuchigami, Nykeeta Caslangen, and Leomar Agyamoc.

 In poomsae (forms) meantime, UB Prep High School’s Benjamin Daniel Sembrano went toe-to-toe with the country’s best to bag top honors in the his division. He later combined with Ivan Solimen and Troy Cayago to bag gold medal honors in group poomsae.

 On the other hand, the team of KrizelleYadao, Angelica Joyce Gaw and Mary Ceniza Quiambao and the mixed team of Leslie Agyamoc, Suzzane Caslangen, and Troy Cayago settled for silver in the girls’ elementary group poomsae and junior mixed team, respectively.

 Angelica Joyce Gaw closed UB’s medal run with a bronze in individual poomsae.

 Other gold medal winner from Cordillera-based schools include Keige Biscocho (Bridges), Jerick Dominguez (Mt. Prov. Gen. Comprehensive HS or MTPGCHS), Cjai Cobsilen (MTPGCHS), Aitana Fias-ilon (UC), Josiah Pesew (SLU Center), and Gabriel Ulat (Small World).

 For silver, Richard Ulat (Small World), Jeremy Siplat (BCNHS), Christian Duntugan (SLU), and Ferdinand Malaluan (Don Bosco).

 Bronze finishers on the other hand include Eiron Biscocho (Small World), Wreily Canao (SLU), Jonas Rillorta (Baguio Achievers), Kaye Duday (BCNHS), Jan Oya-oy (St. Vincent), and Larry Lingbanan (BCNHS).