By Rusieljs G. Lunasco

Flora Mae Navales, won three medals during the Shinhan World Peace Taekwondo Festival last August 1-5, 2019 at Shinhan University in Uijeongbu-si Gyeonggi-do, Seoul South Korea.

Flora Navales, a Centralian and a former varsity coach of the CPU Golden Lions won three medals during the Shinhan World Peace Taekwondo Festival last August 1-5, 2019 held at Shinhan University in Uijeongbu-si Gyeonggi-do, Seoul South Korea.

Navales won gold in a mixed pair event, silver in individual poomsae, and bronze in kyorugi in the Senior Women’s Division Blackbelt Category. She was also won the Best Coach Award.

“So grateful for Taekwondo, this sport has took me to different heights, took me to places I never imagined I could visit, and turned me into the best version of myself. It is always an honor to represent this sport, our country, and the Philippine Taekwondo Association, this is the least I can do to give back to what this sport has given me,” Navales said.

Navales finished her AB Political Science degree from CPU in 2014. She is also a National Referee and a National Instructor of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

The Shinhan World Peace Taekwondo Festival was established in 2016 to commemorate Taekwondo Day on Sept. 4. It was in Sept. 4, 1994, when taekwondo became an Olympic sport at an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Paris.

Navales and other Taekwondo athletes from the Philippines won 54 gold, 20 silver, and 11 bronze medals during the said event.