By Kristel Satumbaga
The Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) is hosting an online speedkicking tournament on July 11 to 12 for local jins seeking “more action” beyond training during quarantine.
PTA grassroots director Stephen Fernandez said the idea came after poomsae tournaments were staged, including the Online Daeu Open European Poomsae Championships last May where the PH team won three gold medals.
“Nag-comment yung ibang mga (kyorugi) players namin. Paano naman daw sila, gusto nila ng competition,” Fernandez said, referring to athletes competing in contact events.
Poomsae focuses on various taekwondo forms where athletes are graded on their grace and skills, while kyorugi athletes spar against each other in different weight categories.
At the moment, contact sports like taekwondo are still prohibited from training and competition by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
But PTA felt having a speedkicking championship for local athletes would help athletes physically and mentally especially in this time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Though the tournament does not involve sparring, players need to perform various levels of exercises that will be graded.
So far, 250 athletes have signed up for the event and Fernandez hopes more will join.
“You have to understand, puro training lang kasi sila. With this tournament, there is something they can look forward to aside from training,” Fernandez said.
