Pinoy tae kwon do bets optimistic in medal bids

BEIJING: The Philippines’ Mari Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go waved to volunteers manning the gates at the Village a few moments after coming out of the service bus, both wearing the look of a medal contender in the 29th Olympic Games tae kwon do competitions.
An hour ago, the two Filipino jins had their first afternoon workout alongside some of the competitors at a university in the outskirts of this booming capital, and it seemed they can go to the fray even today, tomorrow or the next day.
In other words, they’re ready.

“We’ve remained focused and we’re hopeful. We’re ready to go out there and play the game,” said Rivero, in practice suits wet from sweat after their initial workout since arriving the other day from Manila in the company of their coaches.

They went to the usual practice routines under coaches Kim Hok Sik and Raul Samson, who both nodded their heads in approval when asked if the workout turned out well.

“Okay yung ensayo namin kaninang hapon. We saw some of the guys we’re going to fight. Everything turned out well,” said Samson, the long-time Filipino handler of Go and Rivero.
In the morning, both Go and Rivero also did a light workout inside the Athletes Village.

According to the coaches, they will train for about an hour every day up to the eve of the competitions in this combat sport, which South Korea gave to the world.

The 26-year-old Go, making his second Olympic appearance like Rivero, will be the first to take the floor as he opens his bid on August 20 in the preliminaries of the men’s 57-kilogram at the University of Science and Technology Beijing.

The next day, a Thursday, it’s the turn of Rivero to play in the 57-kg division, the same class where she competed as a young lady of 16 in Athens, Greece four years ago.

Drawing of lots will be held starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the USTB gymnasium, an old school west of the capital city and one of several venues renovated for the Summer Games.