Kurt Bryan Barbosa became the ninth Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which runs from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, Japan.
A native of Abra, Barbosa formalized his Olympics entry with his come-from-behind 50-49 win over Jordanian Zaid Alhalawani in the men’s +67 kilogram division semifinals of the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament on Saturday night at Amman, Jordan.
Trailing 44-49 with 12 seconds remaining, the 21-year-old National University Bulldogs taekwondo team standout connected three consecutive kicks against Alhalawani to turn things around.
In the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Barbosa earned a bye in the round-of-16 before scoring a 40-33 victory over Molomyn Tumenbayar of Mongolia in the quarterfinals.
Barbosa – a 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and reigning UAAP Rookie Most Valuable Player – is the first Filipino taekwondo jin to qualify for the Olympics since Tshomlee Go’s stint in Beijing, China 13 years ago.
He will be the lone taekwondo jin from the Philippines to compete in the Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan following defeats of Kirstie Elaine Alora, Pauline Lopez, and Arven Alcantara.
Alora failed to earn a seat in the Olympics after suffering a 27-5 loss to Uzbekistan’s Svetlana Osibopa in the women’s +67 kilogram semifinals. The Filipina, however, salvaged a bronze medal after beating Mokhru Khalimova of Tajikistan.
Lopez bowed down to Lebanon’s Laetitia Aoun, 10-21, in the quarterfinals of the women’s -57-kilogram event, while Alcantara lost to Uzbekistan’s Ulugbek Rashitov, 23-9, in his category.
Barbosa will join weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, rower Cris Nievarez, and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, and Ilongga Irish Magno in representing the country in Japan./ASC,WDJ