San Beda University’s Michael Macario ruled the men’s category of poomsae freestyle competition during an online tournament in the 96th NCAA Season shown Thursday on GMA’s GTV channel.
Macario topped the freestyle event with 7.033 points to beat Jose Rizal University's Mikko Jeremi Bataoil, who tallied 6.367 for the silver medal as NCAA action kicked off this year with season host Letran.
College of Saint Benilde's Justin Carl Dominic Nacua settled for bronze medal with 5.600 points.
Earlier this week, Alfritz Arevalo pocketed the gold medal in the men's standard poomsae, which gave the Mendiola-based school two gold medals and a bronze in the four-day competition.
CSB, on the other hand, finally won a gold medal courtesy of Krizelle Therese Yadao in the women's freestyle event.
Yadao finished with 6.900 points, beating Shyenler Emelo Cedo of JRU in the two-way battle. Cedo settled for the silver with.
CSB already got two silvers and a bronze medal. The Bombers had a 1-2-0 haul to finish third, while Letran tallied a bronze medal.
In the juniors division, Emilio Aguinaldo College completed a two-gold medal sweep after John Mcleary Ornido of the Brigadiers topped Raphael Ongkiko of CSB-La Salle Greenhills in the two-way freestyle event with 6.800.
Ongkiko scored 6.700 points for the silver medal.
San Sebastian also had one silver medal, while San Beda wound up in fourth with a bronze medal.
Meanwhile, the speed-kicking event started Friday with the four-day juniors contest. Men's action is scheduled June 22-29 while the women’s side is set on June 30-July 5.
“This is a new event, which the Philippine Taekwondo Association is doing for the NCAA. It’s exciting because this is the first time we’ll see our athletes in this kind of competition,” said NCAA Management Committee (MANCOM) Chairman Fr. Vic Calvo of Letran.