It’s a sad day for Cebu taekwondo after its junior jins suffered early losses yesterday in the ongoing 2016 WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Burnaby, Canada.
Nica Garces and Sal Luiji Estrada failed in their bids to bring home the bacon as the two products of the University of Cebu (UC) Taekwondo program, both lost in their opening games in the female bantamweight and male lightweight divisions, respectively.
The 17-year old Garces, who is currently playing for the National University Bulldogs in Manila, bowed to Blanca Palmer Soler of Spain, 3-7, in their round of 32 match.
Garces gave her opponent a close fight compared to Palmer Soler’s dominating win against her previous opponent, Marina Kontou of Greece whom she battered, 12-5.
But Garces, the 2016 Palarong Pambansa gold medalist just could not math up with the power and tenacity of her opponent.
UC’s Estrada on the other hand, bowed down to Moldova’s Serghei Uscov, 3-9, also in the round of 32.
Uscov also proved too hot to handle against his first opponent, Martin Putak of Croatia whom he totally overpowered, 13-0.
As of press time yesterday, only Abigail Valdez of Caloocan City managed to collar a medal for the Philippine Team headed by former champion jin and now coach Monsour del Rosario III.
Valdez bagged a bronze following her close, 1-3 defeat to Thi Kim Ngan Ho of Vietnam in the semifinal round.
Earlier, Valdez crushed Zoe Bejmo of Sweden in her opening match, 12-0, before a crucial win by superiority against Bianca Pantalioni of Italy in the round of 16.
Valdez then nipped Seyedeh Kosar Hosseini of Iran, 7-6, in the quarterfinals to advance to the medal round.