Taekwondo tales

Taekwondo in the Philippines would never be the same without Monsour del Rosario, and vice-versa. On one hand, the once-unknown martial art found a nationwide ambassador in this accomplished athlete who triples as the World Champion of the World Taekwondo Championships, the first Filipino winner in the Asian Games and South East Asian Games, and the first Filipino qualifier for the Olympics. Conversely, this self-confessed 40-year old probinsyano from Bacolod, who incidentally was bullied as a child, admits that the sport not only changed his capacity to defend himself but altered his entire outlook on life. This inspiring relationship recently was taken to whole a new playing field, literally and figuratively, during the 1st Monsour Boracay Taekwondo Challenge.

Challenging Concept

"One afternoon in Boracay, I was taking some pictures of Monsour doing some kicks by the beach when we started toying with the idea of holding a full-blown beach taekwondo event," fiancée Joy Zapanta casually begins. Of course, until then, such a tropical concept was completely alien as taekwondo activities were traditionally conducted within the confines of an indoor ring.

Nevertheless, the novelty quickly caught the interest of Boracay resident and Manila nightlife icon Louie Cruz who volunteered to help the couple organize the event. "It’s really very different from the regular fare of rave parties, collegiate volleyball games, and windsurfing competitions which normally grace the island. Technically, it’s a first in the world," he explains. Over a month or two, the trio tenaciously addressed a long list of key tasks for the event: obtaining local permits, sourcing sufficient sponsors, conducting regional eliminations, and bringing a heap of people to that padded outdoor 150 square meter ring at the beachfront of Pearl of the Pacific.

Taking On Taekwondo

With a roster of moves from roundhouse kicks to abdominal cries such as "Hya!" and "Chwaaa!" taekwondo seems to project a level of energy and excitement comparable only to a true-to-life Tekken match. However beyond its aesthetics, this Korean tradition is more like a special way of living, much like an Oriental philosophy with a big dose of physical education.

Of course, the idiosyncrasies of the sport are best deconstructed by the gurus who teach it. "In a nutshell, taekwondo is all about the finding peace in yourself and going for gold at the same time. It’s an excellent instrument for self-defense as well as a powerful outlet for aggression and repressed feelings," national team coach Ricky Santiago begins.

On the other hand, Angelito Ong, leader of the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team differentiates the sport from other more popularized martial art forms, "Taekwondo is very different from karate. The former is 70% kicking versus the latter which is 70% punching."

Unlike others activities where taller, bulkier, or stronger players are at an automatic advantage, the sport in question seems to be quite well suited for the Filipino athlete. In fact, according to Olympic team coach Jobet Morales, the country now boasts of three National Team contenders for the upcoming Athens Olympics. Meeting the requirements in the World Olympic Qualifying Round in Paris, France and the Asian Qualifying Round in Thailand, these young men and women will not only have a physical crack at the best fighters from other countries but also have the patriotic chance to reinstate the Philippines in the global taekwondo circuit.

Kick Ass Itinerary

With a schedule of activities ranging from sparring sessions between five-year-old kids to adult precision kicking, the Taekwondo Challenge proved to be a multi-faceted two-day experience. Each day, the event would literally kick off with taekwondo classes wherein Boracay residents were taught stances and kicks by the national and Olympic coaches. Afterwards, pre-qualified contenders, representing the regional chapters of the Philippine Taekwondo Association, would consecutively engage in a sparring and pumse (form) competitions where they could showcase their skills for the judges and audience.

However, the apex was undoubtedly the daily routine of the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team. To the tune of the Mission Impossible theme, these men would physically jettison themselves several meters high and across several people to instantaneously shatter, with their bare feet, a series of wooden boards and fresh apples. In fact, even the hosts of Studio 23’s Sport’s Unlimited was able get some of the board-breaking action. Tennis champion and host Dyan Castillejo recapitulates, "It’s difficult to get the right timing since you don’t even see the board coming, but it’s very explosive and satisfying." Co-host and model Marc Nelson agrees, "Although I have a background in taekwondo, it’s my first time to try anything like this. There’s more hard contact here vis-à-vis other performing martial arts such as capoeira, ushu, and muay thai."

The Man Called Monsour

Although he stands at the demographic epicenter of the event, Monsour, through the nuances of his actions and words, still attempts to reconcile the amazing events in his life. "I wanted to stand up for my rights and not allow myself to be pushed around by other people," he recalls why he took up the sport in first year high school. This raw teenage determination eventually brought him from the classroom to the world professional circuit. "Although nobody believed that the Filipino could do it, I said that we could take on the world," he says. Sure enough, he did take on the world and won, putting our small tropical archipelago in the international map of taekwondo.

History books aside, Monsour, to this day, constantly tries to find avenues for growth in his personal life and that of his favorite martial art. On one hand, together with some friends, he has opened his own school called the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center, teaching kids from four to 18 years old and up. On the other hand, he has also launched his own line of taekwondo merchandise called Monsour Gear under the Peak Martial Arts brand. "We now retail out uniforms, belts, head gears, kick pads, kick shields, bags, armors, and pouches. It’s one of the few locally-produced but world-class equipment lines in the country," he candidly narrates.

Finally without a doubt, the taekwondo challenge remains as the latest addition in this man’s roster of accomplishments. "I really wanted the natives to participate. So, I put them in the ring and made them spar. Now, they’re all kicking and asking when we’ll come back," he observes. More than the natives of Boracay, the whole country is pretty much sure than Monsour will be back, in one form or another, to share his passion for that fancy footwork called taekwondo.

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You can contact the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center at 728-5133 or 812-6328.2316 Karrivin Plaza Pasont Tamo Extension, Makati City. Look for Mercy or Rowen.

Monsour Gear is available in Metro Manila at the Rizal Football Stadium and the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center.

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E-mail the author at mybubbleboy@hotmail.com