CHUNCHEON, Korea (Oct. 5, 2024) - With her victory in the women’s -49kg category, Tachiana Kezhia Mangin ended a 28-year wait for the Philippines to win a gold medal at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships.
Prior to her success, no athlete from the Philippines had stood on top of the podium at this event since Alex Borromeo at the inaugural edition in Barcelona in 1996.
The significance of her achievement was not lost on Mangin as the Philippine national anthem beamed around the Songam Sports Town Air Dome during the medal ceremony.
“I was very emotional, because it has been a long time since the Philippines have won a gold medal or even a medal on the world stage at the World Junior Championships,” she said.
“I am very honoured to hear the Philippine national anthem play at the podium once again.”
And the possibility of writing her name into Taekwondo history in the Philippines helps to drive Mangin.
“It motivates me to become a better player and show on the world stage that the Philippines is a strong team when it comes Taekwondo. I also want to inspire my fellow Filipinos that we can do it on the world stage,” she said.
“I hope I inspire young Filipino Taekwondo players in the Philippines, and I hope to inspire more from around the world – not just Filipinos.”
It is clear how much Mangin loves the sport, and how much Taekwondo means to her.
“I was a hyper kid when I was five years old. My parents took me to the doctor, who advised me to go into sports,” she explained.
“The first sport that my parents thought of was tennis, but we have no tennis court in my hometown in the Philippines, so they decided to enrol me in Taekwondo, and I just fell in love with the sport. I love the coaches, the community in my club, so I think that makes me inspired.”
The women’s -49kg final was one of the most thrilling so far in Chuncheon. Mangin produced four head kicks to help her win the first round, but her opponent Hyanggi Kim of Korea hit back in the second. The deciding third round went all the way to the closing stages, but Mangin came out on top 7-6 after a late flurry of points by both athletes.
She explained how she kept her cool when the pressure was on.
“I tried to calm myself and not think too much, because for me every time I overthink inside the court I always stay out of focus. I tried to maintain my focus, and just let my body move and kick,” Mangin commented.
The World Taekwondo Junior Championships was Mangin’s final planned competition of the year, but she has vowed to continue training hard and working towards the future.
“First I will work on my mistakes. I still have a lot to improve. I will train for that, keep that discipline and stay focused,” she said.
“My goal is the Olympics in 2028 Los Angeles. I will do my best to train harder to get that goal.”
Her experience from the World Taekwondo Junior Championships stands her in good stead, and has fuelled her belief moving forward.
“I think I did pretty well throughout the competition. I know that I did my best, and for me that is enough,” Mangin reflected.
“I have learned to trust myself because in the past week, me and my team have suffered a lot of difficulties. I am very proud that we overcame it, and in the last two weeks I was also having a problem on my hamstring and doubting myself that I could not perform at my best, but I thank for everything because I have performed well.”
Talents from an ever-growing list of nations are emerging in Taekwondo at the Championships in Chuncheon, and Mangin is the latest example of that.
