NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
An 11-year-old Boholana neophyte in Taekwondo made another leap at the Central Visayas Regional Taekwondo Championships conducted by the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) at the SM Seaside atrium in Cebu City on Saturday last week.
Deandra Leigh “Andi” Dumaluan-Dejaresco of Tagbilaran City won the gold medal in the grade school (Female Individual) Red Belt after she bested six other finalists coming from different provinces in the region.
She together with another Boholano, Emil Geesnell Gaston Yap of this city, won the SIlver (Pair) division
The young Dejaresco’s victory came barely a month after she ranked 5th among 34 athletes from 17 regions in the elementary girls division during the Palarong Pambansa recently held in Marikina City. Her team during the national Palaro almost grabbed the bronze medal after they landed 4th (out of 17) in the Taekwondo Poomsae.
She won the gold medal during the regional CVIRAA Meet in Carcar City which made her represent Central Visayas at the Palarong Pambansa.
The gold medalist is the daughter of Deane Jeffrey & June Wayne Dejaresco.
Her pair in yesterday’s event which landed Silver medalist is the son of John Geesnell “JG” and Emily Yap.
The regional championship was conducted with athletes from the various private-run gyms in Central Visayas.
The coach for both Dejaresco and Yap is Maria Celine Ericka C. Grandeza of KATMA IMAV Training Center based in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.