12 jins to compete in world juniors

Twelve members of the Petron national taekwondo team, led by Athens Olympic-bound Mary Antoinette Rivero, will see action in the fifth world junior championships set June 12-18 in Suncheon City, Jeonnam, Korea.

Joining Rivero on the team are Raymund Abellar, Giorgio Von de Guzman, Eric Jon de Leon, Raffy de Jesus, Gershon Bautista, Vladimir Baniqued, Crystal Pauline Reyes, Gerrielyn Decatus, Kathleen Eunice Alora, Sarah Joy Arellano and Kirstie Elaine Alora.

Rolando Paterno heads the delegation, which also includes coach Raul Samson and international referee Roland Campos.

Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado is confident that the RP junior squad sponsored by Petron, Philippine Sports Commission and Accel will perform well in the 80-country tourney.

"Our athletes are well-trained, ready and determined to win for flag and country," said Aventajado.

According to PTA vice president Sung Chon Hong, the Philippines has always been rated among the top contenders in big international events.

Meanwhile, two of the country’s Olympic qualifiers — flyweight Tshomlee Go and welterweight Mary Antoinette Rivero — bagged a bronze medal each in the recent 27-country Asian championships held also in Suncheon City.

Go won twice — 8-7 and 6-2 over his Chinese and Kirgystan rivals, respectively, but lose 1-3 to the Japanese bet, while Rivero drew a bye and fell 4-7 to her Chinese-Taipei foe.

The third RP Olympian — Donald David Geisler — beat an Australian, 8-2, and lost by superiority to a Korean whom he had battled to 6-6.

Welterweight Alexander Briones, finweight Kathleen Eunice Alora and middleweight Ma. Criselda Roxas also won a bronze each to make it five bronzes for the RP team.

Alora narrowly missed making it to the semifinals when she lost only by superiority to a Vietnamese following a 3-3 tie after she had beaten her Afghanistan rival, 10-1, and got the nod over a Chinese girl when they drew 5-5.

Briones lost to a Korean, 0-2, after beating a Japanese and a Syrian, both by 7-4 counts, while Roxas was nipped by a Chinese, 3-2, after she had edged an Australian jin by a similar score.