DAVAO CITY – The Regional Central Gym (RCG) Strikers Tagum bagged the overall crown in the 10th Pulong Duterte Taekwondo Championship at the SM Annex in Ecoland here on Sunday, Nov. 20.
First runner-up was RCG Kaizen, with RCG Matanao and Hwarang, second and third runners-up, respectively, said coach Johnny Kim, event organizer.
Almost 700 taekwondo athletes from Davao, Digos, Tagum, and Mati, and the municipalities of Malita, Matanao, Nabunturan, Compostela, and Lupon competed.
Kim said the youngest among the male and female athletes was a three-year-old while the eldest was 30.
“The Pulong Taekwando Championship is a yearly event for the taekwondists. It was supposed to be a Mindanao-wide tournament, but due to the venue's limited space, we only held the tournament in Davao region instead," Kim said.
Kim said the tournament would be a proper preparation and serves as a tune-up for athletes planning to compete in the national and international taekwondo championship.
“I have been on this journey for a long time already. Paolo (Duterte) was young back then when I trained him. He was not yet a politician at that time. We are grateful for his support to the club and to the taekwondo athletes,” Kim said.
Kim said everyone is welcome to participate in various taekwondo clubs, adding that taekwondo is an Olympic sport, a very dynamic martial arts form, and a very family-friendly event.
“Many people think that taekwondo is for kicking and fighting. It’s more on exercise, learning proper skills and techniques, and, most significantly, disciplining oneself. If you look at Paolo Duterte now, he grows up a fine and disciplined man," Kim said.
To promote fitness, physical awareness, and mental acuity, Kim said that taekwondo incorporates several techniques and mindsets, adding that this martial art provides its practitioners a wide range of advantages and benefits.