By Adrian Stewart Co

Ilonggo taekwondo athletes took home medals from the recent 9th Tirak Taekwondo International Championships, which took place over the weekend at the Chao Phya Surawongwaiwat (Worn Bunnag) Convention Hall in Bangkok, Thailand. The winners earned medals from both poomsae events, which are comprised of basic attack and defense motions associated with the martial art; and kyorugi events, a demonstration of sparring.
The Iloilo MVP Taekwondo Gym, led by head coach Denmark Pinggol, won the overall poomsae event, where they were awarded a trophy and 10,000 Baht (just under ₱17,000). They also finished second in the kyorugi overall.
In the poomsae category, Cyd Edryc Esmaña and Niesha Kariz Pequierda both captured gold in the individual and mixed pair events; Ma. Wilmena Popelo and Julianna Martha Uy each won gold in the individual event; Joshua Cachero won gold in mixed pair and silver in the individual event; Xyrus Andrei Desierto took silver in mixed pair and bronze in the individual event; Angela Bermejo win silver in mixed pair and bronze in the individual event; Josh Macahilig and Sheine de Asis each took home a silver medal; Sophia Grace Go and Clyde Anthony Chua each won two bronze medals; and Elisha Meila Paradero, Roivic John Decafe, Neljane Wentworth Belgira, and Conrad Joseph Pido each won a bronze medal.
Meanwhile, in the kyorugi division, Bermejo won two gold medals; Decafe and de Asis each took home one gold; Pido, Belgira and Paradero each won a gold and a silver; Uy, Cachero, and Go each won a silver; and Macahilig and Desierto won bronze medals.
The competition also awarded all athletes who passed the weigh-in a medal and a participation certificate./ASC, WDJ