Mary Angeline Alcantara of Barangay Estefania in Bacolod City emerged victorious in the recently concluded 86th season of the UAAP Women's Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships held at the Marikina Sports Complex on November 28-29, 2023.
Alcantara, a rising star in the taekwondo scene, made her mark by clinching the highly coveted Rookie of the Year award.
Angeline, the daughter of Jun Mark Alcantara, a dedicated driver in the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, has been a consistent performer under the mentorship of world-class taekwondo instructor Vic Feria at the Hanah Taekwondo Academy.
Her journey to success was highlighted by her groundbreaking achievements, notably being the first Filipina to secure a gold medal and Most Valuable Player award at the 3rd World Cadet Taekwondo Championships in Egypt back in August 2017.
The UAAP Women's Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships saw Angeline facing off against formidable opponents, opening her debut match with a close defeat against the seasoned Nica Garces of National University, who secured the win with just a one-point lead. Undeterred, Angeline rebounded spectacularly, dominating her next four matches against competitors from UP, FEU, Ateneo, and UST with an impressive almost 12-point gap in each encounter.
In an interview, Alcantara expressed her joy and gratitude, saying, "It's really a big achievement for me to win 4 of my 5 matches in my first UAAP run, but my ultimate goal is to have the team championship in the near future." She went on to discuss her dedication to training and preparation, noting that she is already in talks with her teammates to intensify their efforts in strength and conditioning for the upcoming seasons. (PR)