Matagumpay na nairaos ang MAPATA (Makati, Pasay, Taguig) Taekwondo Championship sa Amoranto Stadium, Quezon City, noong Linggo, Enero 28, 2024.
Proyekto ito ng Philippine taekwondo champion at up-and-coming actress na si Pauline Lopez.
Daan-daan ang bilang ng mga kabataan ang lumahok sa MAPATA na isang patunay na marami sa mga kabataang Pilipino ang gustung-gusto ang sport na itinataguyod ni Pauline at ng Shero, ang kanyang taekwondo school sa Bonifacio Global City.
May mga batang limang taong gulang pa lamang ang nakita naming kasali sa taekwondo competition at sa murang edad, nagpakita ng matinding disiplina sa sport na kinahihiligan nila.
Panauhing pandangal sa MAPATA Taekwondo Championship si Efren Lopez, ang ama ni Pauline na umuwi pa mula sa Amerika para magbigay ng suporta sa kanyang anak at sa adbokasiya nito.
Minana ni Pauline ang husay sa taekwondo mula kay Efren, na miyembro noon ng Philippine National Team pero tinalikuran ang nakahiligang sport dahil sa isang aksidente.
Kuwento ni Pauline sa Cabinet Files, “My father was in the national team back then. He was fighting late ‘80s, early ‘90s, had a really bad accident.
"He was supposed to fight Asian Games, natamaan siya sa mukha and his career ended.
“He vowed he would never put his kids in the sport. He will never never, never want that to happen to us ‘coz I have an older sister and a younger brother.”
Pagpapatuloy na lahad ni Pauline, “When we moved to the States, taekwondo found its way back to my father. He was teaching again in the States, his passion, e. He cannot run away from it.
“Then we were in an out-of-school activity and I was telling my dad, ‘Let’s do this sport! I really wanna do it.’
“Sabi niya, ‘No! It’s a man’s world. It’s a man’s sport. You cannot do it because you’re a girl.'
"And of course, me, as a stubborn young kid already at that age, you can’t tell me I can’t do something just because I’m a girl. No, no, no!
“I was very persistent and they put me in, along with my siblings, and he saw potential, I just kept winning tournaments.
"And then when I turned thirteen, that’s when he really saw na kaya ko pala to go to higher level. And I said, I really want to pursue international field.
“I didn’t know how I’m gonna get there, but I will work twice as hard if I needed to and it became my sport ever since.”
Napatunayan ni Pauline sa kanyang ama na hindi siya nagkamali sa desisyon niyang ipagpatuloy ang paglalaro ng taekwondo dahil sa maraming pagkakataong naghatid siya ng karangalan sa Pilipinas.
Bakas sa mukha ni Efren ang saya at pagmamalaki sa kanyang inspirational speech sa opening ceremonies ng MAPATA dahil sa tagumpay ng kanyang anak sa taekwondo, at sa natupad na pangarap ni Pauline na maibahagi sa mga kabataan ang sport na pinakamamahal nila.