PHL EYES MEDALS IN WORLD POOMSAE
Cebuano world champions Rinna Babanto, Glenn Lava optimistic PHL team will do well in World Poomsae Championships
World champions Glen Lava and Rinna Babanto are optimistic that the Philippine Taekwondo National Poomsae squad will be bringing home medals in the 2018 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Taipei City, Chinese-Taipei on Nov. 15 to 18.
“I’ll be with the team along with three of my students--Aidaine Laxa, who’s now with UST for her senior high, Francis Arquero and Alyssa Llenes. This is their first time to join in a high-level world poomsae competition. Being a three-time world champion in poomsae, I’m hoping for a positive result this coming world championships. It’s also my duty to pass and share (my knowledge) to develop a new champion. I’m happy because seven players are from Cebu,” said Lava.
Aside from Lava and Babanto, the other Cebuano jins who are seeing action in the biggest poomsae meet in the world are McAvynger Alob, Aidaine Laxa, Johann Concepcion, Alyssa Llenes and Francis Arquero.
Though huge underdogs, Lava believes that it will be the heart, determination and prayer that will help the Filipino win medals.
“In this competition there are a lot of strong teams. Here in Asia, it’s China, Iran, Vietnam and Korea that are the favorites. Our chance of winning is that if we trust ourselves, our preparation, our determination and our prayers to God,” he said.
Lava is teaming up with Jean Pierre Sabido and Ernesto Guzman in the Team Event.
Babanto is confident that she and her team will have a podium finish.
“There’s a huge chance that we can bag a medal since I’ve been teaming up (with them) and we’ve been competing together internationally with my team. We just have to invent some new techniques and styles to stand out among other countries. I also believe in them, that is why we have a big chance of winning,” she said.
Babanto will be competing in two events, Recognize Team and Freestyle Team.
Lava is a three-time gold medalist in the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in the Team Event. He won it in 2013 in Indonesia, in 2014 in Mexico and in 2016 in Peru.
Babanto, on the other hand, won the gold in the Team Juniors event in 2013 in Indonesia. /