Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Justin Kobe Macario had a silver and bronze medal, while a young jin and a fellow Baguio resident helped secure a bronze to help the Philippines get to a 14th place finish in the 2024 World Poomsae Taekwondo Championships held last November 30 to December 4 in Hong Kong.
The Philippines wound up with a 0-2-8 gold-silver-bronze haul for a total of 10 medals which is good for 14th place in the event that drew 77 nations.
South Korea, the country of origin of the sport, ruled it with a 17-6-2 haul for a total of 25 medals, followed by the United States 8-4-4 or 17 medals, and Taipei (Taiwan) with 4-5-6 or 15 medals.
The Philippines sent a delegate composed of 20 males and 16 female jins.
Macario, a Baguio City National High School alum, joined hands with young Crisostomo to take the silver medal in the mixed pair over 17 to a Korean pair who they beat in the eliminations.
“We had a better qualifying score than the Korean pair,” said Macario in Filipino about the Korean pair and eventual champion.
Then the two were joined by King Nash Alcairo, Darius Venerable, Jesus Gabriel Derick Yape and Janna Dominique Oliva to place third in the mixed team over 17.
Another Baguio lass had a podium finish with Zulaika Macaraeg who joined Dean Venerable in the mixed freestyle under 17.
Macaraeg, a Trancoville resident, is a student of the National Academy of Sports in Tarlac City. His father, Rigeon, is one of the four members of the 1997 Adidas streetball regional champions. The three other members won the national championship in 1998 and joined the World Streetball Challenge in Italy.
Poomsae is performed by following a systematic time of movement in consecutive sequences against an imaginary opponent or multiple opponents.
Macario won medals in the Chuncheon Korea Open and Daegu World University Championships in South Korea last July.
The 22-year-old former National University senior high school student who later moved to the University of Santo Tomas hopes to work as a coach for his college alma mater or another school as he will continue to compete.
He is expected to represent the country in the SEAG late next year and hopefully, seek an Olympics slot in 2028 in Los Angeles.
“I am looking forward to 2028 when freestyle will be included in the Olympics,” added the Dominican Hill resident.
“Since he started competing abroad, he was lucky to always bring home a medal,” said father Bobot in Ilocano, during an interview last Tuesday, December 10, at Luisa’s Café.
