By Kristel Satumbaga
DAVAO DEL NORTE — Paul Anthony Rodriguez showed flawless form in poomsae to win three gold medals Monday in the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg at the Gaisano Mall here.
Rodriguez, a 13-year-old Grade 7 student at Holy Trinity College in General Santos City, reigned in the individual and team male categories as well as in pair class.
The national training pool member scored 7.815 points to dominate 19 others in the individual eliminations and 7.965 points to prevail in the 10-player final round before teaming up with Benedicto Opao and Ezekiel Lumpin to top the team divison with 7.685 points.
He then combined with Aleya Rayzel Labao to win the pair event with 8.020 points.
Rodriguez said the victories was the result of the hard work they had done for the past months.
“We’ve been working hard, training for three hours six times a week. I’m surprised that I won these medals,” said Rodriguez, a Palarong Pambansa silver winner in Vigan, Ilocos Sur last year.
Rodriguez, whose three brothers inspired him to take up poomsae when he was five, also hopes to see more children like him practice the sport despite the bullying issues of a taekwondo player that circulated on social media a month ago.
“Not all taekwondo jins are bullies,” Rodriguez said.
Meanwhile, South Cotabato archer Grace Signacion and Koronadal City bet Justin Matthew Basadre followed up their first day wins after ruling their respective divisions in the individual Olympic round at the DavNor Sports & Tourism Complex.
Signacion, 10, bested Koronadal City’s Samantha Isabel Loreno in the yeoman girls while Basadre toppled South Cotabato’s Quin Myer Loreno in the bowman boys.
Also sharing the podium were Karl David Mejillano (yeoman boys) and Geanne Gasendo (bowman girls) of South Cotabato.
At the RDR gym, two pairs from Panabo City and Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur clinched twin golds in dancesport.
Jan Ryl Gabatilla and Kathleen Mae Catapan shone brightest for Panabo by winning the junior standard A and C grade competitions, while Khiel Ron Merontos and Julvia Mae Sabella triumphed in the juvenile latin A and C grade events.
