1,500 jins vie for honors in school meet

MANILA, Philippines - Around 1,500 athletes from 600 schools nationwide will vie for honors in the 2010 Smart National inter-school (kyorugi and poomsae) taekwondo championships on Sept. 25-26 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“With this two-day event, upcoming and veteran taekwondo practitioners will get a chance to demonstrate their respective abilities, techniques and styles in the country’s fastest growing sport,” says Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert Aventajado.

In addition to one-on-one matches among novice and advance players in six divisions, the tournament will also feature poomsae or forms which will be disputed only by blackbelt students in individual, mixed pair and team events.

Organizing committee chairman Sung Chon Hong explains that in poomsae, participants follow a systematic time of movement in a consecutive sequence against an imaginary opponent or mutiple opponents.

“It consists of movements using the hands and feet and interconnected techniques like blocking, punching, striking, thrusting and kicking,” adds Hong. “Constant training of poomsae will help improve flexibility and control in breathing, balance, power, eye focus and mental discipline.”

Novice and advance (male and female) jins will see action in the senior, junior and grade school divisions.

Among the schools and universities which have confirmed their participation are De La Salle University (Taft, Araneta, Zobel, Lipa and Dasmariñas), College of Saint Benilde, UP, UST, Ateneo, FEU, University of the East, San Beda (Alabang, Mendiola and Taytay), Letran, Don Bosco (Makati and Mandaluyong), St. Theresa’s College, Lourdes School (Mandaluyong and QC), OBMC, University of Batangas, Diliman Preparatory School, School of St. Anthony, St. Vincent School, UPIS and Rizal high.

The event is sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Smart Communications, PLDT, Adidas and Milo.

Competition starts at 9 a.m. Martial arts enthusiasts and sports buffs, especially children who are keen to learn the sport, are invited to watch the two-day meet.