MORE than a week after clinching a Tokyo slot in the Asian Olympic taekwondo qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan, Filipino taekwondo jin Kurt Ryan Barbosa can still hardly believe he is going to represent the country in the quadrennial games set in July.
“Talagang napaka-grateful na napili ng Philippine Taekwondo Association na pumunta sa Amman kasi mas maraming veterans at mas magagaling sa akin,” said Barbosa, 21, a rookie in the talented and seasoned national squad that saw action in the qualifying meet.
Despite his inexperience, the third-year National University varsity ace did the country proud, displaying nerves of steel with a dramatic come-from-behind 50-49 victory over hometown bet Zaid Al-Halwani in the men’s flyweight (58-kilogram) semifinals to punch his ticket to Tokyo last May 22 in the final day of the competition.
He will be the first male taekwondo Olympic campaigner for the Philippines since Tshlomee Go saw action in the 2008 games in Beijing, China.
National coach Dindo Simpao was delighted by the achievement of Barbosa, considering that he was only promoted to the national senior ranks in 2018 although he also had a remarkable debut in the 30th SEA Games two years ago, ruling the men’s finweight (54-kilogram) division.
“Mababa lang ang rankings sa national team ni Kurt since pumasok lang siya sa seniors in 2018. Virtual rookie, tapos nagka-pandemic pa,” Simpao ponited out.
A product of the One Mind Taekwondo Training Center in Bangued, Abra under coach Glen Buenafe, Barbosa drew the attention of PTA bigwigs when he played a stellar role for the NU Bulldogs who captured back-to-back men’s taekwondo championships in 2018 and 2019.
