By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.

Palarong Pambansa-qualified athletes of Hanah Taekwondo are preparing to represent the Negros Island Region (NIR) in the nationwide competition that takes place next month in Antique.
In the secondary girls category, Camille Andrea Miraflores of the University of St. La Salle-Integrated School (USLS-IS) will compete in the flyweight (42-44kgs) division; Angeli Lesaguis of Riverside College will compete in the featherweight (46-49kgs) division; Shaira Isabel Garbanzos of USLS-IS will compete in the welterweight (52-55kgs) division; and Caroline Dean Espinosa of the St. John’s Institute (SJI) will be competing in the middle weight (59-63kgs) division.
For the secondary boys, Lester Paolo Escasinas of Murcia National High School will compete in the finweight (45kgs below) division; Michael Deriada of La Consolacion College-Bacolod will compete in the welterweight (59-63kgs) division; and Christian Dean Espinosa of SJI will be competing in the featherweight (51-55kgs) division.
Living Stones International School will be providing three athletes in the secondary boys category, with Keith Smart Docado in the flyweight (45-48kgs) division, Creoz Agassi Celiz in the light middleweight (68-73kgs) division, and Rodney Posecion in the middleweight (73-78kgs) division.
Espinosa and his sister, Caroline Dean, also qualified for the poomsae event, which consists of demonstrating defense and attack motions.
Meanwhile, in the grade school category, Mary Angeline Alcantara of St. Scholastica’s Academy will compete in the girls 152-160cm division. She also qualified for the poomsae event, alongside Joshua Emmanuel Deita and Jonathan Seguera./WDJ