By REYNALD MAGALLON
BANGKOK – The Philippine taekwondo team is off to a golden start to its campaign in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
That, after taekwondo jin Justin Kobe Macario delivered the first gold for Team Philippines after topping the freestyle poomsae event at the Fashion Island Shopping Mall on Wednesday, Dec. 10 here.
Macario displayed the perfect blend of speed and power as he put together a clean routine that garnered 8.200 points from the judges to narrowly beat Koedkaew Atchariya of Thailand for the top spot.
The hometown bet scored 8.100 points to claim the silver while Malaysia’s Ken Haw Chin bagged the bronze with 7.740 points.
It was Macario’s first medal in individual events after winning a silver and bronze in the mixed team poomsae events in the 2021 and 2023 edition of the biennial meet.
