NATIONAL teammates Realiz Tabiando and Abigail Valdez posted convincing wins over separate rivals to hog the spotlight in the taekwondo kyorugi (sparring) competition of the 8th PSC Women’s Martial Arts Festival at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum yesterday.
Tabiando subdued La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s Loralee Natividad 2-0 in theIR featherweight division while Valdez dispatched national teammate Veronica Garces 2-0 in the featherweight final of the competition organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.
In a competition featuring top varsity players from the UAAP and NCAA, University of Sto. Tomas’ Raven Allyson Pablo scored a close 2-1 decision over school teammate Geriane Pineda in the battle for the bantamweight gold.
National University’s Rajany Darlyn Santos beat San Beda’s Samantha Siboc 2-0 for the finweight mint to round out the winners in the meet supported by Pocari Sweat and Go21.
“This was a tough tournament since most of the collegiate standouts of the NCAA and UAAP are competing here,” noted Valdez, the 2018 UAAP Rookie of the Year.
Taekwondo tournament director Rani Ortega, a team gold medalist in the poomsae event of the 2009 world and Laos Southeast Asian Games, said action will wind up with the team and individual poomsae today.
In sambo held simultaneously with taekwondo at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum, national team mainstays Princess Cortez, Aislinn Agnes Yap and Mariane Mariano topped their respective divisions.
