Olympics bound Barbosa in courtesy call to Gov. Bernos

June 12, 2021 Provincial

Abra pride and Olympics bound Kurt Bryan Barbosa may resume his training for the Tokyo Summer Games this July, but he just had to say goodbye to his province and with its mother, Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Bernos.
It was the reason why the 20-year old taekwondo jin, the third Cordilleran in a regular event in the biggest sporting spectacle, just did when he paid a courtesy call to Bernos before motoring to the capital city Tuesday.
“Being an Olympian is a dream come true,” said the 20 year old during his visit to the governor who wished him all the luck in his Tokyo campaign.
Barbosa is the the lone taekwondo jin representing the Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics on July 23 until August 8 as he declared: “I’m proud as an Abreño, and this Abreño will represent our country”.
Barbosa qualified to the Tokyo Olympics last May 22 when he overcame a double digit lead of Jordan Zaid Al-Halawani and win 50-49 in the 58 kilogram semifinals of the 2021 Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.
Barbosa, a 2019 SEAG gold medalist, is the lone Filipino jin to make it to the Summer Olympics after 2016 Olympians Kirstie Alora, Pauline Lopez and Arven Alcantara failed in their respective bids.
Alora missed out on a second straight Olympics after setting for the bronze in the +67 kg category. The Philippines has 10 athletes now qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
Barbosa qualified to the Tokyo Olympics last May 22 when he overcame a double digit lead of Jordan Zaid Al-Halawani and win 50-49 in the 58 kilogram semifinals of the 2021 Asian Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.
Barbosa, a 2019 SEAG gold medalist, is the lone Filipino jin to make it to the Summer Olympics after 2016 Olympians Kirstie Alora, Pauline Lopez and Arven Alcantara failed in their respective bids.
Alora missed out on a second straight Olympics after setting for the bronze in the +67 kg category. The Philippines has 10 athletes now qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. Aside from Barbosa, the others are: gymnast Carlo Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, weightlifer Hidilyn Diaz, Cris Nievarez in rowing, boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno and Carlo Paalam and skateboard Margielyn Didal.
Barbosa is a native of Bangued, Abra who went to the National University where he competed in the finweight category of the 2018 UAAP Season 81. He was named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player for the taekwondo tournament.
The product of One Mind Taekwondo in Bangued won the gold medal in the Philippine National Games in Cebu City on May 19-25, 2018. His younger brother Kurt Maverick took home a bronze medal.With the gold in the 2018 PNG, Barbosa was included in the national team in 2019.
Barbosa is the first Cordilleran to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. A second, archer Jason Emmanuel Feliciano, who like Magno, Petecio and Paalam are all University of Baguio students, hopes to make it in the re-curve men in the Paris 2021 – World Cup Stage 3 set on June 17-21.
Feliciano, Carlos Francis Hastie and Rey Silos compose the men’s team, while the women’s side include Gabrielle Monica Biduare, Pia Elizabeth Biduare and Phoebe Nicole Amistoso. Barbosa is the third Cordilleran to the Olympics after Hector Begeo in athletics in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics and judoka Jerry Dino in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
Three other Cordillerans saw action in the Olympics, the 2008 edition in Beijing, but in the demonstration sports of wushu – Eduard Folayang, Benjie Rivera and Mariane Marino. Rivera and Mariano took home the bronze medal.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN