NAGOYA, Japan — Philippine taekwondo athlete Juliana Mykhail Candelaria won the silver medal in the women’s individual poomsae at the 20th Asian Games on Thursday, earning a score of 9.1300 in her first appearance at the continental competition.
South Korea’s Jung Hae-un won the gold medal with 9.3100, while fellow Filipino Jeus Yape secured the bronze in the men’s individual poomsae with a score of 9.0900.
The 18-year-old Candelaria said she focused on staying composed after strong performances from the other finalists.
“There were strong performances from the other athletes, so going into the finals, I just had to reset my mind and take it one step at a time,” Candelaria said.
National coach Rani Ortega said Candelaria faced the pressure of competing at her first Asian Games, including the crowd, venue and overall environment.
“Being a first-time athlete in the Asian Games will make you nervous,” Ortega said. “You’ll get overwhelmed with the environment, the crowd, the venue, so in the finals I just told her to focus on herself. Reset and regroup.”
Candelaria followed the advice and delivered the Philippines’ fifth silver medal of the Games.
Ortega credited the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the country’s taekwondo community for supporting the team.
“Hard work really pays off with the trust and teamwork from all of us. We’re capable of accomplishing things,” Ortega said.
Candelaria said she plans to focus on enjoying the experience rather than rushing toward future achievements.
“I want to live in the moment, just enjoy my performance and what’s happening around me and be grateful for everything,” she said.
The Philippines has three gold, five silver and 14 bronze medals with two days remaining before the Asian Games closing ceremony.