MANILA, Philippines—The country’s taekwondo bid in the Asian Games suffered a big blow recently as Olympian Mary Antoinette Rivero injured her knee while training in South Korea.
But the emergence of a hitherto unknown taekwondo-jin raised the national team’s hopes that it will overcome Rivero’s possible absence from the Asiad.
Butch Morrison, the only Filipino to land the gold medal in the Koran Open, has clinched a berth in the national team seeing action in the Guangzhou Asiad, according to head coach Rocky Samson.
Born and raised in Olongapo, Morrison will fight in the lightweight category in the Games.
Rivero sustained a ligament injury (ACL) in the left leg during tuneup matches with members of the Korean A and B teams in Seoul and arrived in Manila in crutches.
The Asiad-bound Filipinos and the Korean teams will continue their joint training at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex today and tomorrow.
“We are seeking another opinion [on Rivero’s injury], but if the doctors say she won’t be ready for the Asian Games, we will make adjustments,” said Samson.
He said Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Elaine Alora, who usually fights as a middleweight, might replace Rivero in the welterweight class.
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