The Philippine Taekwondo team, led by Tokyo Olympics veteran Kurt Barbosa and SEA Games champion Tachiana Keizha Mangin, is set to compete in the 2026 Asian Taekwondo Championships. The event will take place from May 19 to 27 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
This championship serves as a qualifier for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, drawing top fighters from countries such as South Korea, Iran, China, and Thailand. Philippine Taekwondo Association Grandmaster Sung-Chon Hong anticipates fierce competition.
Hong, along with head of delegation Raul Samson, expressed optimism about this year's team, hoping they can achieve a breakthrough in free sparring (Kyorugi).
Mangin is a strong contender in the -49kg division, having won gold in her SEA Games debut last year, defeating Thailand's Kamonchanok Seeken.
Her victory has established her as a prominent figure in Philippine taekwondo, following her historic win at the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships.
Full Team Roster
The team includes: Algen Aynaga (-58kg), Mythaious Angelous Francois Lustado (-63kg), Kenneth Riley Buenavides (-68kg), Dave Cea (-74kg), and Nicolas Aaron Castillo (-80kg) for men's free sparring.
Women’s free sparring representatives are Clarence Sarza (-46kg), Baby Jessica Canabal (-53kg), Czarina Mae Danganan (-57kg), Jubilee Briones (-62kg), and Laila Delo (-67kg).
The poomsae men’s squad consists of Rodolfo Reyes, Jr., Justin Kobe Macario, Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape, and others, while the women's team includes Sofia Ysabelle Sarmiento, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, and more.
The delegation also features former Olympian Stephen Fernandez and a dedicated coaching staff.
The event will aid the team’s preparations for future competitions, including the Chuncheon Korea Open and the World Poomsae Championships.
The last Filipino to secure a gold medal in free sparring was Pauline Louise Lopez during the Manila edition seven years ago.