By: Kim Yoshi Espiritu
Photo by: Kim Yoshi Espiritu
In its second entry since the pandemic break, the Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Taekwondo team resurged for six medals in the NCAA Season 100 Taekwondo tournament, held at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gymnasium in Paco, Manila last November 28-30, 2024.
The team made a rightful commemoration of bravery and spirit in the grounds of the Generals during ’Bonifacio Day’, bagging five bronze and a silver plum in the three-day Kyorugi and Poomsae events.
In the first day of the tourney, middleweight contender James Bryan Magdasoc snagged a 2-0 round win against the Arellano Chiefs that hurdled him past the elimination stage. A rough defeat in the semifinal against De La Salle-College of St. Benilde awaited him and severed the team’s hopes of a Men’s Kyorugi award.
The following trial was no different for the Letran Jins after losing bouts in the Senior Men and Women’s Kyorugi eliminations.
Bearing that slow start, assistant coach and trainer, Noel Almaida, reminded the athletes to rub off the pressure and expectations as they reignite their legacies.
“Ang reminders ko lagi sa kanila is to play wise and kailangan yung momentum dapat nasa kanila lagi — plus, yung defense nila and presence of mind“, the head Taekwondoin explained their tactic to maintain the flow of the match.
Redemption came quick for the team in the Juniors Kyorugi and Seniors Poomsae as Matt Andrew Hipolito wins bronze in the lightweight class and the trio of Allan Rosario Jr., John Keirth Beramo, and Stephen Abay received third place score in their team poomsae performance.
Julio Adrell Bayot of the light-middleweight division channeled the gallantry of a knight to romp a 2-1 come from behind victory. He delivered penetrating blows and kicks to the body of his Mapuan adversary, stacking 12 points in the final 40 seconds of the third round.
It was almost a sweet icing for Letran when Elijah Gabriel Tajonera entered the mat for their only Gold bout, however, the exhaustion caught up — relegating the junior heavyweight jin to silver.
The San Beda Red Jins kept their title as the overall champions for the second straight time in the tournament.
With elevated morale, the Letran taekwondo team aims to rebuild their legacy on this centennial season experience and set a strong foundation for their future matches.