IBILANG ang Philippine taekwondo team sa magbibigay ng gintong medalya para sa Team Philippines sa 30th Southeast Asian Games sa Manila.

Kumpiyansang ipinahayag ni Barcelona Olympics bronze medalist Stephen Fernandez ang kalalagyan ng sports sa medal standings sa biennial meet na nakatakda sa Nobyembre 27 hanggang Disyembre 12.

“Our taekwondo team will definitely surpass our achievements in the last SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur two years ago,” pahayag ni Fernandez sa kanyang pagbisita sa ‘Usapang Sports’ ng Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) kahapon sa National Press Club sa Intramuros, Manila.

“As our good friend and 2019 SEAG chef de mission Cong. Monsour (Del Rosario) told you when he guested here to weeks ago, our taekwondo association is preparing very hard for the SEA Games.

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“As host country in the SEA Games, ayaw naman natin na mapahiya tayo dito sa taekwondo community natin,” ayon kay Fernandez, iginagalang matapos makakuha ng Olympics medal noong 1988 Seoul at 1992 Barcelona.

“There are a series of activities lined up or national team sa mga darating na buwan. Katatapos lang namin ng Carlos Palanca Jr. this month in Mal of Asia where our national players competed and were able to defend their slots in the national team,” ayon sa ngayo’y Sports Director ng St. Benilde, sa lingguhang programa na suportado ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at NPC.

“We have Pauline Lopez, one of our top bets in the female category. Samuel Morrison is also there in the men’s division. And we have a formidable poomsae team made up JR Reyes and the Mella brothers, Dustin Jacob and Raphael Enrico,” explained Fernandez.

Sinangayunan din ni Fernande ang ‘awareness program’ ng PSC at Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHINADO) para sa anti-doping measures ng SEAG hosting.

We really have to educate our athletes about all these anti-doping measures,” sambit ni Fernandez.

“In 2005 SEAG, one of our gold medalists was found to have taken a slimming tea. But at that time, talagang hindi nya alam. Now kailangan talaga ng vigilance,” aniya.

“Ngayon, lagi natin sinasabi sa ating mga atleta, before any medication is taken, kailangan talaga nila ipa-alam muna. Kahit yun mga spray. We have to check with Dr. Canlas kung kasama ito sa mga gamot na ipinagbabawal ng WADA.”