Rated female jins collide for honors

Some of the country’s national taekwondo training pool members will vie for honors in the 2008 Petron/Smart All-Women’s Championships on June 1 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Among these rated athletes are veteran international campaigners Esther Marie Singson, Elaine and Eunice Alora, Karyn Pilongo, Christine Virtudazo and Jyra Lizardo, who bagged a bronze medal in the recent world junior championships in Turkey.

Beijing Olympic Games-bound Mary Antoinette Rivero is also qualified to join, just like the rest of the national pool members. But she’s in Korea preparing for her second crack at an Olympic gold, having competed in the Athens Games in Greece four years ago.

“This time, our female jins will go all out to prove that they’re really among the best in the international field while relegating their male counterparts to the back seat,” said Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado.

Organizing committee chair Sung Chon Hong, who is also PTA’s vice president, expects around 600 athletes to participate in the senior women, junior women and grade school girls divisions.

“They will come from PTA’s affiliated clubs and branches in Metro Manila and the provinces as well as the different military commands,” said Hong.

Backed by Smart Communication, Petron, PLDT, Philippine Sports Commission, Adidas and Milo, the tourney is part of the PTA’s commitment to sports development and its support to the government’s grassroots program.

Action on June 1 starts at 9 a.m.