Jins vie for Phl slots in CPJ tiff

Slots on the 2018 Philippine team will be up for grabs when the Philippine Taekwondo Association stages its first event this year – the SMART/MVP Sports Foundation/PLDT Home Ultera National CPJ (Carlos Palanca Jr.) Championships on Feb. 3-4 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The country’s best jins including Elaine Alora, Pauline Lopez, Francis Aaron Agojo, Arven Alcantara and Samuel Thomas Morrison Harper will lead around 1,500 participants in the two-day Kyorugi (free sparring) and Poomsae (forms) competition.

Kyorugi will feature male and female bets in the Senior, Junior, Cadet and Grade School divisions while Poomsae contestants will show their wares in individual, team and mixed pair events.

Makati Congressman and PTA secretary general Monsour del Rosario III said the tournament will serve as preparation to the Asian, World Junior and World Poomsae Taekwondo Championships, World Grand Prix, Youth Olympic Games and the much awaited 18th Asian Games in Jakarta for those who will make the Philippine team.

The sponsors of the first in a series of PTA’s important annual events include PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Parents interested to enroll their children in taekwondo and other sports enthusiasts are invited to watch the competition starting at 9 a.m.

Ateneo’s Pauline Lopez (right) executes a full moon kick to the head of Lyka Angel Bulayungan of Region 2 Thunder in one of their meetings last year.