Alora settles for silver in taekwondo

FILE PHOTO/ SEA GAMES (PNA Photo)

KUALA LUMPUR — Taekwondo jins Kirstie Elaine Alora and Francis Aaron Agojo on Tuesday settled for the silver and bronze medals in the final day of competition in taekwondo and penultimate day of the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.

Alora displayed solid kicks on the body and face of opponent Sorn Seavy of Cambodia, who took advantage of her height and long reach to capture the gold in the women’s under 73kg (Kyorugi) of taekwondo held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

“I’m trying to score, get some points, but siguro kulang pa ang follow-up. It’s a big fight, I think I did my best,” said Alora admitting “nahirapan ako talaga” – referring to the height advantage of her Cambodian opponent who took command early in the fight, 3-6 points.

“’Pag susugod na ako, nauuna pa rin ang tuhod niya (Seavy). Sa first round I think lamang ako, pero sa last round medyo careless na ako kasi naghahabol na ako ng score,” Alora said.

She added her concentration was bothered by the “calls” of the referee during the entire match.

Agojo, for his part, also gave all his best until the dying seconds of the match but bowed to Vietnam’s Nguyen Yan Duy, 17-30.

Taekwondo gold medalists include Samuel Morrison who ruled the Kyorugi under 74 kg and Poomsae team event composed of Dustin Mella, Raphael Enrico Mella and Rodolfo Reyes, Jr.

The other medalists are: (Silver) Rhenzie Cana Aragon (Kyorugi under 53 kg) and Arven Alacantara ( Kyorugi under 68kg); (Bronze) Pauline Louise Lopez (Kyorui under 62kg), R. Reyes (Poomsae –Individual) and the women’s Poomsae team – Jocelyn Ninobla, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo and Rinna Babanto.

The Philippine taekwondo team ended its campaign with 2-3-4 (gold-silver-bronze) medals, one gold shy of their 3-3-2 output in the 2015 games held in Singapore. (PNA)