Morrison, Uy clinch As-Pac taekwondo gold medals

ILOILO CITY—Samuel Thomas Morrison and Kristopher Robert Uy capitalized on their height and athleticism to end the Philippine campaign in the 2015 Asia-Pacific Taekwondo Invitational Championships with flying colors Sunday.

Morrison, bronze medalist in last year’s Incheon Asian Games, toppled fellow national team mainstay Christian Al Dela Cruz, 15-7, with a variety of body blows to snatch the men’s welterweight (-80 kg) title before a huge crowd at SM City here.

Replicating Morrison’s game plan against a smaller rival, Uy was a convincing 15-3 winner over Mar Angelo Rivera in the all-Filipino men’s +80 kg finals.

“Since I’m taller, I just aimed for his head,” said the 6-foot-2 Uy, champion of the 2013 Switzerland Open and gold medalist in the Burma (Myanmar) Southeast Asian Games.

Uy quickly came out on top, 5-2, in the first round after a brutal exchange. He finally took the fight out of Rivera with consecutive shots to the chin and face late in the middle round.

Filipino-American

Ahead by a point in the opening round, Morrison, a Filipino-American who grew up in Subic, widened the gap with a series of snap kicks then capped his scintillating tactical show with a head blow with 14 seconds left in the deciding third round.

“I carefully watched out for his attacks and focused on hitting the weak spots,” said Morrison. “It was about concentration and timing.’’

Morrison and Uy will carry the country’s colors in the world championship on May 12 to 18 in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Counting the victory of flyweight Francis Aaron Agojo, the Philippines collected three gold medals, four silvers and nine bronzes. South Korea, which brought three collegiate teams here, placed second overall with three golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

Also picking up bronze medals were Paul Ivan Norombaba (+80kg), Camille Bonje (-67kg) and welterweights Gabrielle Yuchingtat and Kirstie Elaine Alora.

South Korea, which brought three collegiate teams here, placed second overall with three golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

Choi Min-kyeong nipped Lee Seon-ok, 6-5, in the women’s -67kg finale while Kim Jae-young escaped with a narrow 1-0 win over Kim Seung-hee in the +67kg titular match.