Three Olympic jins keep slot in RP team

Three of four Sydney Olympic Games veterans made it back to the national team Sunday by ruling their respective classweights in the 2001 Carlos Palanca Jr. Memorial taekwondo championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

These are finweight Roberto Cruz and Eva Marie Ditan, both of Las Piñas, and bantam/feather Jasmin Strachan of UST. The other RP Olympian, Donald Geisler, did not see action.

Cruz beat Tshomlee Go, Ditan toppled Daleen Cordero and Strachan whipped Kalindi Tamayo. Go, Cordero and Tamayo all come from UST.

Also winning golds to make the national team were:

Men’s division — Manuel Rivero Jr., DLSU, flyweight; Jefferthom Go, Navy, bantam; Wency Salvador, Bulacan State U, feather; Dean Limbo, Army, lightweight; Mark Rivero, UST, welter; and Dax Morfe, Army, heavyweight.

Women’s division — Diorlyn Papelera, UST, fly; Camela Albino, Navy, light/welter; and Sally Solis, Teamsports, middle/heavy.

The other winners:

Junior men — Carlito Dacuno, Nazareth, finweight; Tristan Tiozon, Makati High, fly; Jules Bayonito, HAU, bantam; Jose Emmanuel Enriquez, NTU Bacolod, feather; Bryan Lim, Amoranto, light; Jimmy Cabigon, NTU Bacolod, welter; and Alfie Manoos, HAU, middle.

Junior women — Nicole Wutrich, Iloilo, fin; Eunice Alora, Laguna South, fly; Gerrielynn Decatus, St. Anthony, bantam; Ma. Cristina Bonifacio, MHS, feather; Shirley Anne Epan, Zamboanga, light; Esther Marie Singson, Central Gym, welter; Mary Antoinette Rivero, St. Paul Pasig, middle/heavy.

Gradeschool boys — David Yuson Jr., Zamboanga, below 4’2 (under 11); Rei Vincent Sambo, Batangas Main, 4-2/4-5 (under 11); David Andro Rivera, LSGH, 4-5/4-8 (under 12); Luis Lorenzo del Rio, LSQC, 4-8/4-10 (under 12); Jade Gonzaga, Talisay Bacolod, 4-10/5-0 (under 13); and John Ruiz de Luzuriaga, DLSZ, 5-1/2/5-4 (under 13).

Gradeschool girls – Khate Canlas, CSA, 4-2/4-5 (under 11); Micah Isabel Ramos, Laguna South, 4-5/4-8 (under 12); Ma. Abigail Rustria, CSA, 4-8/4-10 (under 12); Elaine Alora, Laguna South, 4-10/5-0 (under 13); Lumiere Lee, and Assumption, 5-1/2/5-4 (under 13).