Three golds minimum for awesome jinns

(Editor’s note: This is the fourth of a series of articles on the Philippines’ participation in the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.)

For a consistent winning performer in the Southeast Asian Games and even in bigger international arenas, a three-gold haul the last time in the biennial meet was considered a mediocre feat for Philippine taekwondo.

Thus, the mission is to re-impose dominance for the team and reach a higher plateau for one of its bright stars as the Filipino jinns compete in the Vietnam jousts.

Spearheading Team Philippines’ bid is no less than three-time World Championships silver medallist Roberto "Kitoy" Cruz who will be seeking to stretch his record feat of six straight gold-medal performance.

Also in the 16-strong team are lightweight Alexander Briones, welterweight Donald Geisler III, flyweight Tsomlee Go, featherweight Jeferthon Go, heavyweight Dax Morfe, bantamweight Manuel Rivero, middleweight Dindo Simpao, finweight Eva Maria Ditan, flyweight Daleen Cordero, featherweight Kalindi Tamayo, lightweight Mary Antoinette Rivero, middleweight Sally Solis, lightweight Veronica Domingo, welterweight Margarita Bonifacio and heavyweight Ann Margaret Boyle. All are veteran internationalists.

Tsomlee Go, Geisler, Tamayo and Solis left the country ahead of the others yesterday as they will first compete in an Olympic qualifying tourney in Paris before heading to Ho Chi Mihn.

The Pinoy jinns embark on a mission in Vietnam armed with an extensive training under Korean expert Tae Myung Kim.

And five gold medals won in the recent Korean Open courtesy of Geisler, Go, Morfe, Tamayo and Briones are no doubt good indications that the team would do well in Vietnam.

"All of us in the team are capable of winning the gold. Ang tanong lang kung ilan sa amin at kung mababawi natin ang overall championship," said Cruz, now 30 and father to two kids, Justine and Andrea, with wife Carmella.

But Cruz quickly added the gold would not be easy to pick.

"Ang lakas ng Vietnam at may homecourt advantage pa sila. Ang Indonesia at Thailand malakas na rin. At halos lahat ng teams trained na rin under foreign coaches," Cruz pointed out.

But talk about determination and will to win, and Cruz said the Philippines would be up there.

"Tuwing lalabas naman kami laging maganda ang frame of mind. Unang-una wala kaming distractions na nararanasan ng ibang atleta sa kanilang associations. Seniority sa amin at sumusunod sa chain of command," he said.

On his personal goal of a seventh SEAG gold, Cruz said he feels he’s capable of doing it and he’s determined to get it for his daughter Andrea. "Hindi pa siya pinapanganak noong nanalo ako sa Malaysia (2001 SEAG)," he said.

Before leaving for Paris, Geisler, meanwhile, said they will not only seek Olympic berths but try to hone up further their skills for the Vietnam joust.

Geisler, who won a silver in the 2001 Kuala Lumpur Games, said they want to relive the spirit of the 1991 Manila SEAG team that produced eight golds courtesy of Cruz, Stephen Fernandez, Ali Atienza, Dean Vargas, Bea Lucero, Diana de Leon, Shanon Sowy and Maria Nelia Sy.

The Pinoy jinns’ performance has dipped since then although they still salvaged overall championship in Chiang Mai in 1995 and the men’s title in Jakarta in 1997 and Brunei in 1999.

"Pipilitin namin iangat uli ang Pilipinas sa Vietnam," Cruz vowed.