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SEA Games taekwondo champ Samuel Morrison living real life of action hero

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Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/08/10/samuel-morrison-2017-081017.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>It took Samuel Morrison three tries before he could finally join the Philippine national team. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Samuel Harper Morrison&#x27;s journey to a Southeast Asian Games title started in front of a TV in his hometown of Olongapo.</p><p>Morrison was in his elementary-school years when he became an avid fan of superhero shows on TV.</p><p>“I really liked to watch iyong mga &#x27;Power Rangers&#x27; and &#x27;Masked Rider Black.&#x27; Then may nakita akong nagta-taekwondo sa neighborhood so sinubukan kong sumali. I was about 8 years old,” he said.</p><p>Morrison was born to a Bicolana mother and a US Marine. He grew up in Pampanga and stayed for a while in the US.</p><p>Being an active kid, he became interested in various sports. He tried his hand in swimming, gymnastics, athletics and basketball.</p><p>But he eventually returned to the sport that he first took up when he saw his childhood fictional heroes beating up super villains.</p><p>In college, he became part of the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Jins and gave the school a gold in the welterweight class. That year, UST won its 6th overall UAAP title in taekwondo.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1450926" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>Realizing he has what it takes to compete internationally, he decided to push the envelope and try his luck to become part of the Philippine national taekwondo team.</p><p>Morrison said it wasn’t easy.</p><p>“I tried many times, noong 2007 hanggang 2009,” the 27-year-old said. “Noong 2009, nabigyan ako ng break pero natalo agad.”</p><p>“Noong mga first try ko, nina-knockout ako, masakit ang katawan kinabukasan . . . Pangatlong try ko nakapasok ako sa Team A. Sobrang saya ko talaga, tinawagan ko agad ang nanay ko.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/27/17/sea-games-fil-brit-boxer-eager-to-prove-he-belongs-on-ph-team">SEA Games: Fil-Brit boxer eager to prove he belongs on PH team</a></li></ul><p>In 2011, Morrison got a silver medal in the Summer Universiade following his transfer to the Far Eastern University. Three years later, he copped a bronze in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.</p><p>His most memorable competition, however, was his initial foray in the world championships in 2011.</p><p>“Kahit natalo ako, marami din naman akong tinalo. Natalo lang ako sa sudden death, 1 point lang,” he said.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/08/10/samuel-morrison-2-2017-081017.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Samuel Morrison gets instructions from former national team member Japoy Lizardo. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>In 2015, he claimed the SEA Games gold medal in Singapore by beating Phan Trung Duc of Vietnam in the finals of the under 68-kilogram class. </p><p>Morrison looks forward to defending his title in Kuala Lumpur later this month.</p><p>“Iyong Thailand at Vietnam sila ang nakikita namin na magiging pinakamahirap naming kalaban,&quot; he said. &quot;Pero sa SEA Games, we’re going for the &#x27;kill.&#x27; Hindi kami pwedeng magpakita ng weakness sa kalaban.”</p><p>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/" target="_blank"> <strong>ABS-CBN Sports website</strong></a>.</p>

<p>Samuel Harper Morrison's journey to a Southeast Asian Games title started in front of a TV in his hometown of Olongapo.</p>

Samuel Harper Morrison's journey to a Southeast Asian Games title started in front of a TV in his hometown of Olongapo.

SEA Games taekwondo champ Samuel Morrison living real life of action hero

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SEA Games taekwondo champ Samuel Morrison living real life of action hero

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 11, 2017 12:48 AM PHT

|

Updated August 11, 2017 09:22 PM PHT

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Samuel Harper Morrison

Taekwondo

SEA Games

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