The training of the national taekwondo team is continuing through online lessons and instructions.
Stephen Fernandez, one of the national coaches, said that jins seeking Tokyo Olympic qualification have intensified their preparations even though the qualifiers this June won’t push through due to the numerous lockdowns imposed by various countries to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
They will now have more time to prepare after the sports’ international association, the World Taekwondo Federation, rescheduled the qualifiers in the early months of 2021.
“Ang taong 2020 ay delikado para gawin ang selection para sa mga athletes. Pero, patuloy naman ang paghahanda nila,” said Fernandez in an online interview during the weekly virtual session of TOPS: Usapang Sports.
There are six jins that the Philippine Taekwondo Association is betting on to have the best chances of making it to the Tokyo Olympics.
And this is on account of their good showings in last year’s Southeast Asian Games.
They are Pauline Lopez, Kirstie Elaine Alora, Kurt Bryan Barbosa, Veronica Graces, Arven Alcantara, and Samuel Morrison.
Fernandez added that members of the national poomsae team are also into home training.
Among them is Jocel Lyn Ninobla, who claimed the gold medal last month in a National Open held online.