Virtual taekwondo competition in Season 96 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association successfully came to a conclusion last week.听
Held from June 14 to July 5, taekwondo听jins听from the NCAA鈥檚 10-member schools competed in the different events, part of the听league 鈥榮听collective push amid the pandemic under the theme 鈥淩ise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96.鈥听
Taekwondo events included听Poomsae听Standard,听Poomsae听Freestyle, Speed Kicking Juniors, Speed Kicking Women鈥檚, and Speed Kicking Men鈥檚.听
The De La Salle-College of Saint听Benilde听(CSB) emerged as the overall champion of the Speed Kicking event in the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 divisions.听
In the men鈥檚 division, the Blazers amassed a total of five gold medals from Ivan Murray听Solimen听(finweight听division); Laurence Scott Santiago (featherweight);听Mikko听Michael听Regala听(welterweight); Matthew听Cloyd听Roxas听(light鈥痬iddleweight); and听Josemari听Aiko听Ong听(heavyweight).听
CSB鈥檚 good form extended in the distaff side, with its women players taking four gold medals care of听Krizelle听Therese听Yadao听(flyweight);鈥疞oralee听Natividad听(welterweight); Anne Christine听Obenza听(middleweight); and Lucille听Cunanan听(heavyweight).听
Also emerging victorious in the Speed Kicking men鈥檚 division were San Beda University鈥檚 Jack听Janggo听Natividad听(flyweight) and Christian Neil Arches (lightweight); and Arellano University鈥檚 Stanley Roy听Laguio听(bantamweight).听
Others scoring gold in the women鈥檚 division were Jose Rizal University鈥檚听Emie听Fernandez (finweight); San Beda University鈥檚 Princess Angel听Doria听(bantamweight); San Sebastian College-Recoletos鈥 Liza Leslie听Bagay听(featherweight); and Arellano University鈥檚听Paulene听Gaye Rey (lightweight).听
In the Juniors Speed Kicking division, San Beda ruled鈥痺ith three gold medals.听
Topping their rivals in their respective divisions were San Beda鈥檚 Ignatius Vicente鈥疞orenzo鈥疨inera听(bantamweight); Philip Joshua Lee (lightweight); and听Louell听Ivannerich听Mamaclay听(light middleweight).听
Winning gold as well were CSB-La Salle听Greenhills听jins听Victor Emmanuel Rodriguez and Raphael听Ongkiko听in the welterweight and middle/light heavyweight divisions, respectively.听
Champions in other divisions were Lyceum of the Philippines University鈥檚 John Patrick听Moneda听(fin/flyweight);鈥疌olegio听de San Juan de听Letran鈥檚听Luke Morel (featherweight); and Arellano University鈥檚 Joshua Lyndon听Dionio听(heavyweight).听
Poomsae听
In Juniors听Poomsae, Emilio Aguinaldo University (EAC) triumphed.听听
EAC鈥檚 John听Vergel听Reyes snagged the gold medal in鈥疨oomsae听Standard Juniors while John Mc Leary听Ornido听won in the听Poomsae听Freestyle Standard Juniors.听
Topping the women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 divisions in the听Poomsae听Standard, meanwhile, were Jose Rizal University鈥檚听Emie听Fernandez and San Beda University鈥檚听Alfritz听Victoria听Arevalo.听听
CSB鈥檚听Krizelle听Therese听Yadao听and San Beda University鈥檚 Michael Christian听Macario听were named champions in the鈥疐reestyle Standard Women鈥檚 Division鈥痑nd鈥疐reestyle Standard Men鈥檚 Division, respectively.听
The taekwondo event was broadcast daily over GTV in close coordination with the NCAA鈥檚 official TV partner GMA Network.听
Meanwhile, a day after NCAA taekwondo ended, the virtual chess competition kicked off on July 6.听
For this season, all chess matches are done via knockout games, with the next round being the Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinal round,听semifinals听and finals.听听
Season 96 of the NCAA airs鈥痮n GTV weekdays at鈥3 p.m. (with replays weeknights at 10:50 p.m.), Saturdays at 4:30 p.m., and Sundays at 5:05 p.m. For more information on the league, visit NCAA Philippines鈥 official website鈥www.ncaa.com.ph鈥痑nd follow @ncaaphilippines听and @gmasynergy听on social media. 鈥撎Michael Angelo S. Murillo听
