Korea Open gold confidence-booster for Lopez ahead of SEA Games

Gold medalist Pauline Lopez of the Philippines during the 28th SEA Games womens under 57kg final
held at the Singapore Expo Hall 2 after defeating Thi Thu Hien Pham of Vietnam.
INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

Pauline Lopez has just started her young UAAP career with a the Rookie of the Year award for Season 79, but the 20-year-old jin’s accomplishments goes beyond the collegiate league.

Fresh from winning gold in the Korea Open back in July, the Atenean is also set to compete in the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games in the taekwondo kyorugi ender 62kg division.

Lopez said her triumph in the International Taekwondo Championships served as gauge on how she has improved and it also helped her confidence going into the regional games.

“The Korea Open was a very hard tournament… and what I did was just give my best and I was able to gauge myself where I am right now,” said Lopez during the athlete send off Friday at Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions.

“It definitely gave me the self confidence and just the confidence to know that I can do this.”

Lopez, though, fought in the lighter weight class of featherweight in the Korea Open but constant training since January, she said, will help her prepare for Kuala Lumpur.

“We’re simulating what we’re going to expect in the ring in training so when the pressure’s there we know what to do,” said Lopez. “We definitely prepared not only physically but also mentally. I think we have a good chance of performing and giving our best.”