Poomsae taekwondo tourney up at RMSC

MANILA, Philippines - Around 1,500 athletes are expected to vie for honors in the SMART National Poomsae Taekwondo Championships on Oct. 19-20 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The participants will come from different regions, including ARMM, CAR, CARAGA and NCR. The competing teams include Powerflex, Ateneo, San Sebastian College, UP, San Beda College, De La Salle Zobel, DLSU, More Than Medals, Team Baguio, Pangasinan, Cebu, PNP and AFP, among others.

Poomsae, also known as forms, is a jin’s way of displaying attack and defense techniques against imaginary opponents.  It is a way of understanding and practicing every aspect of martial art, basic technique, breathing control, balance, coordination and concentration.

The mind and body can work together in striving to perfect techniques that would be hard to achieve.  As experts would say, taekwondo is meaningless without poomsae.

The tournament will feature four events –  individual standard, team standard, mixed pair and free style.

Participants will be classified into four age categories – 9 to 11 years old for children, boys and girls; 12-24 (cadet, boys and girls), 15-17 (juniors, men and women), and 18 years and above (senior, men and women).

The two-day event is organized by the Philippine Taekwondo Association and sponsored by SMART Communication Inc., MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT, TV5, Meralco, Milo and Philippine Sports Commission.