Go, Rivero vie for slots in national team

MANILA, Philippines - Olympians Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero head a tough cast of the country’s leading jins in the Smart Carlos Palanca Jr. (CPJ) taekwondo championships on Sunday at the Rizal Coliseum.

“Poomsae (forms) competition is also included in the tournament,” says Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado.

Go, Rivero and the other top blackbelts will vie for slots on the 2010 national team which will participate in prestigious international tournaments this year.

Around 500 jins are expected to display their wares in two events – free sparring and poomsae – in the tourney sponsored by Smart Communications, PLDT, Milo and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Competition will be conducted in the senior, junior and grade school division in free sparring and men’s and women’s individual and men’s and women’s team categories in poomsae.

Poomsae is performed by following a systematic time of movement in a consecutive sequence against an imaginary opponent or multiple opponents. It consists of movements using the hands and feet and interconnected techniques like blocking, punching, striking, thrusting and kicking.

Constant training of poomsae will help improve an athlete’s flexibility and control in breathing, balance, power, eye focus and mental discipline.

According to organizing chair Sung Chon Hong, the national team will see action in the Asian championships in Kazakhstan and the 16th Asian Games in China, the junior squad will seek a slot in the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore and the World Junior Taekwondo Championships and the Poomsae squad will vie in the World Poomsae Championships.

Martial arts enthusiasts and sports fans are invited to watch the event starting at 9 a.m.