Monsour del Rosario on taekwondo’s future? Online competition could be new normal

Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/05/14/monsour.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/05/14/jocel.jpg"/></div></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Monsour del Rosario, for many years the face of Philippine taekwondo, believes it isn&#x27;t safe yet for full-contact competition. <cite>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Jocel Ninobla won an online taekwondo tournament for poomsae (form). <cite>Handout/file</cite></p></div></div><p>Former taekwondo champion Monsour del Rosario said Filipino jins might have to settle for online tournaments for now, as the world searches for an antidote to COVID-19.</p><p>Because it is not yet safe to hold full-contact taekwondo, del Rosario said holding poomsae (form) competitions virtually, like the one in which Filipinos won over the weekend, is a safer option.</p><p>&quot;Hanggang wala tayong nakukuhang gamot sa coronavirus, mas safe na ganyan lang muna. Hanggang poomsae lang. Hindi pa pwede ang combat sport kasi malapitan talaga at baka magkahawahan riyan,&quot; Del Rosario said Thursday.<br/> <br/>Three Filipino taekwondo jins, led by 3-time UAAP poomsae champion Jocel Ninobla, won gold in the inaugural Online Daedo Open European Poomsae Championships</p><p>The tournament, an experimental event organized by the European Taekwondo Union, was staged to encourage taekwondo amid the pandemic.</p><p>Ninobia topped the under-30 female division on Sunday, garnering scores of 7.53 during her Koryo performance and 7.60 in Pyongwon for a total average score of 7.565.</p><p>At the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, she struck gold in the women&#x27;s recognized individual event and earned a silver in the women&#x27;s recognized team event.</p><p>Ninobla&#x27;s father, June, also won first place in the under-60 category, while former world champion Ernesto Guzman Jr. ruled the under-40 class.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NRjZ5GKM5-g?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><br/><em>Jocel Ninobla performs a routine from the comforts of her home. Courtesy of the UAAP </em></div><h3><br/>Livelihoods affected</h3><p>According to Del Rosario, former secretary-general of the Philippine Taekwondo Association, the sport&#x27;s national governing body, taekwondo, like many sports, has been badly hit by the lockdown.</p><p>&quot;May epekto ito lalo na sa mga magko-compete sa international competitions. Ngayon nasa bahay lang silang mga athletes. Kailangan silang mag-training mag-isa para ma-maintain lang ang fitness nila, speed, power. Pero hangga&#x27;t hindi sila makapag-sparring, mahirap,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kung poomsae OK lang, makakapag-practice ka hanggang maging perfect ang execution mo.&quot;</p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic also affected those who were making a living out of the sport. </p><p>He said there are more than 500 instructors throughout the country who are financially dependent on taekwondo.</p><p>&quot;Itong summer, April, May, June, ito &#x27;yung mga panahong kung saan sila kumikita. Ang mga instructors kasi ang kabuhayan nila taekwondo, ito ang peak ng season,&quot; del Rosario said.</p><p>&quot;Kung ano&#x27;ng kinita mo ng summer buhay ka na sa buong taon. Iyon ang nakakalungkot, mayroon silang mga gym, club pero hindi makapagturo dahil sa COVID-19. Apektado ang hanapbuhay nila.&quot;</p><p>Del Rosario said he hopes scientists will be able to find a cure or that the virus disappears soon.</p><p>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</p>

<p>Del Rosario, for many years the face of Philippine taekwondo, said Filipino jins might have to settle for online tournaments for now, as the world searches for a COVID-19 vaccine.</p>

Del Rosario, for many years the face of Philippine taekwondo, said Filipino jins might have to settle for online tournaments for now, as the world searches for a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Monsour del Rosario on taekwondo’s future? Online competition could be new normal

Monsour del Rosario on taekwondo’s future? Online competition could be new normal

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 14, 2020 09:56 PM PHT

Read More:

Monsour del Rosario

Jocel Lyn Ninobla

June Ninobla

Esnesto De Guzman

Online Poomsae competition

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