OLYMPIAN Kurt Barbosa leads a big cast competing in the Smart/MVP Sports Foundation National Carlos Palanca Jr. Taekwondo Championships on Oct. 8-9 at the Ayala Malls, Manila Bay in Pasay City.
Barbosa, the country’s lone bet in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and a two-time Southeast Asian Games champion, is the favorite in the minus 54kg class of the tournament organized by the Philippine Taekwondo Association as part of the qualifying selection for the 2023 national team.
The tournament also serves as a tune-up for members of the Philippine team set to compete in the World Taekwondo Championships in November in Guadalajara, Mexico as well as the Asian Taekwondo Championships, Asian Junior/Cadet Taekwondo Championships and the Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games next year.
Also joining the competition sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, and Milo are Barbosa’s fellow National University standout and 2019 SEA Games gold medal winner Dave Cea, along with national team mainstays Arven Alcantara, Alfritz Arevalo, Joseph Chua, and Laila Delo Baby Jessica.
Over 1,000 participants from PTA-affiliated organizations, schools and clubs nationwide have confirmed their participation in the kyorugi (free sparring) and poomsae (form) events.
