CEBUANO jins Sal Luiji Estrada and Nica Garces didn’t get the results they wanted when they suited up for the national team in the WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Burnaby, Canada recently.
Estrada and Nica Garces took early exits, but they earned the much-needed respect and showed they are among the promising taekwondo athletes in Cebu.
The two were tagged as underdogs, but they put up a good fight against their respective opponents.
“My coaches told me that I was playing good but I need to improve more on something,” said the 17-year-old Estrada of the University of Cebu.
Both admitted that there are still some areas that need improvement—it could be their fighting style or their training.
Estrada bowed to Moldova’s Serghei Uscov, 3-9, in the round of 32 match. The Barangay Pardo-native led at the end of the first round, had a two-point cushion after the second, before he was beaten in the final.
His coaches Dindo Simpao and Nap Dagdagan Jr. assessed that he has to improve his defense.
“I just have to improve my blockings. I think I already have the skill, the stamina and my attacks were fine,” Estrada said.
Garces, who is known for her technical style of fighting, fell short when she faced Blanca Palmer Soler of Spain. The new recruit of the National University gave it her all but simply couldn’t overcome her foe.
As a result, the soft-spoken 2016 Palarong Pambasa gold medalist endured a 3-7 defeat—also in the round of 32.
The two ended up losing but their performances were considered respectable as their conquerors had to labor hard unlike in their prior matches.
Palmer Soler dominated Marina Kontou of Greece in her first match, 12-5, and Uscov proved too much when he blanked Martin Putak of Croatia, 13-0.
For Garces, the failed title campaign will only motivate her to work harder.
“I need to train harder for me to improve as my coaches told me to increase the volume of my kicks,” the 17-year-old Garces said.
With the two athletes acknowledging their weaknesses and vowing to correct them, it won’t be a surprise if they soon find themselves strutting their wares in the big stage.
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