Team Visayas original teakwondo lineup is back
IT seemed that the postponement of the 5th Milo Little Olympics National Finals from Oct. 25-27 to Nov. 29-Dec.1 has done some good on the part of the Visayas taekwondo team’s campaign in the multi-sports competition slated in Cebu City.
National Finals tournament manager for taekwondo, Raul Luna, informed Cebu Daily 黑料社 yesterday that the Visayas taekwondo team is now back to its original lineup with the return of two of its top bets from training abroad.
The two Visayas Team athletes from Bacolod City who made it to the national junior team and trained recenly in Korea, are secondary boys’ bet Deb Matthew Daclan of Livingstone International School and secondary girls’ Irene Therese Bermejo of Trinity Christian School.
Bermejo and Daclan trained as part of the national taekwondo junior team in preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Indonesia.
“Ang original team sa Visayas taekwondo nabalik na,” a relieved said Luna.
Initially, when Daclan and Bermejo left the country, Team Visayas got the services of University of Cebu’s Jinielka Hansnella Albero and Antique National High School’s John Michael Vedeja.
Article continues after this advertisementAnd Albero and Vedeja would have played for Team Visayas had it not been for the recent earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol that prompted organizers to move the competitions to its new playdate.
Article continues after this advertisementNow Albero and Vedeja will have to give way to Daclan and Vedeja, who will be joined in the Visayas lineup by Cebuano bets Kylle John Flores of Southwestern Unversity, University of Cebu’s Kristian Ralph Tagarao, are Jan Mickael Casana of St. Joseph School-La Salle, West Negros University’s Jason Lenard Locsin and Dennis Andrew Tallafer, Bacolod City NHS’ Jasper Jack Saga and Ateneo de Iloilo’s Lovett Shauden Uy De Ong.
The secondary girls’ division, on the other hand, will be bannered by Andre Lim and Zozen Prajes, both of the University of Cebu, Arielle Legaspi of Negros Oriental High School in Dumaguete City, Stephanie Marie Lamayo of St. John’s Institute, Rhea Mae dela Cruz of Notre Dame Talisay, Noelyn Rose Campos of Antique NHS and Trinity Christian School’s Jullienne Bermejo.
Team Visayas is expected to meet stiff competition from their NCR rivals, whose secondary division squad is spearheaded by the Sta. Elena High School of Marikina City.
The National Finals top three team placers in both the secondary and elementary divisions will bag P40,000, P20,000 and P10,000 worth of MILO sports equipment and the coveted Overall Champion trophy. /correspondent Jade s. Violeta
