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Taekwondo jin’s World Expo triumph highlights city''s best year
Date:
Melanie Hope Douglas and her twin feat in the 2nd World Taekwondo Culture Expo held in South Korea last July topped the city sport’s best success story in 2008.
Douglas, the city’s taekwondo wonder lass, brought home a pair of medals, a gold and silver in the said prestigious tournament that drew more than 50 nations including powerhouse teams like Japan, USA, China, Spain, France, Germany and host Korea.
The sophomore student of the Alaminos City National High School was at her best when she stunned her rivals from USA, Japan and Korea to win the under-13 Poomsae.
She settled for silver in the sparring event after bowing to her taller and older Australian opponent.
Douglas’ entry in the said highly competitive and international event was only her first and so far her biggest and most impressive victory.
At age 15, she has already accomplished an outstanding feat that no young Alaminian athlete had done before.
Douglas had amassed a total of 27 medals in a span of four years of competitive taekwondo.
She collected a total of 16 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze medals from DepEd, Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), LGU and private company-sponsored tournaments in Regions 1, II and CAR and in Metro Manila.
In 2007, Douglas, then a sixth grader, displayed her deadly form, sheer determination to win and huge potentials in the said sports as she bagged home 8 gold medals in eight tournaments she had competed.
PTA officials closely monitored her fights in the regional and national level even as they learned that she is easily out -pointing her rivals in her age group.
Impressed by her superb performance and grit, PTA rewarded Douglas with a slot in the Philippine Team taking action in the World Expo.
With the full backing of the Braganza administration, she competed in Korea and never failed her chief benefactor and her team.
She was declared as world champion but Douglas said earning praises from her peers all over the world is more than winning the medals.
According Jose Elvis Sison, city sports coordinator, Douglas added to two more feathers in her already decorated cap late this year.
She ruled the 10th Regional Taekwondo Championship held last October in Sto. Domingo Ilocos Sur and 2008 Regional CPJ Taekwondo Championship held in Manaoag, Pangasinan only last month.
Sison said with the city government’s comprehensive sports development program, more and more youth are getting into sports and are being trained to become competitive and successful athletes.
“Douglas’ story, her character and her rise to stardom have inspired her fellow young and promising athletes even more to dream big and really work hard to attain it. "
He noted that the city’s pride may pale with taller, heftier and more experienced taekwondo jins when she competes in the secondary level.
Having a heart of a champion though, she will definitely work her way through in every tournament and make her citymates and countrymen truly happy and proud anew. (CIO)
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