INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Asian Games veterans Kathleen Eunice Alora and sister Kirstie Elaine and Alexander Briones head 34 members of the Smart-Philippines taekwondo team flying to Vietnam Wednesday to compete in the 9th Asean Taekwondo Federation championships set June 4 to 7 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Joining Kathleen Eunice, the Doha Asiad bronze medalist, Kirstie Elaine, gold medalist in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, and Briones, 2007 SEAG silver medalist, in the crack roster are internationalists Jeffrey Figueroa and Marlon Avenido and other rising stars.

The athletes, according to Philippine Taekwondo Association president Robert N. Aventajado, will vie in the kyorugi (sparring) and poomsae (forms) events, which are both calendared for the 25th Laos SEA Games in December.

?The Philippines is always considered a top contender in this event,? said PTA vice president Sung Chon Hong, who heads the Philippine delegation.

The other officials are coaches Kim Hong-sik, Dindo Simpao, Roberto Cruz, Dax Alberto Morfe, and Tem Igor Mella and referees Stephen Fernandez, Jesus Morales III and Ceasar Mateo.