The Negros Taekwondo Union-Tigers seized two crowns in the 2006 Petron National Taekwondo Team Championships at the Rizal Coliseum in Manila over the weekend.

The NTU jins, mentored by Jimjim Chua, brought home five golds each in the junior women's advance and novice competitions to grab the overall title of both divisions. It was actually the third straight overall crown for the Bacolod-based squad in the junior women's advance category after being spearheaded by Pauline Reyes, who posted top honors in the bantamweight class.

Reyes, a student at John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, was awarded as the best player in the junior women's advance division, while teammate Mary Jane Borbe was the best jin in the junior women's novice category.

The Ilog-born Borbe had two golds for NTU after emerging victorious in the junior women's novice and the grade school girls' novice hostilities. Chua also had a share of the limelight as he was named as the best coach for the fourth time by the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

Also winning golds for the Tigers in the junior women's advance division were Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Ma. Daphne Alindogan and Kirstine Chua in the featherweight and fin-flyweight classes, respectively.

Rubylyn Mapa, who hails from La Carlota City, added another gold to the coffers of NTU when she ruled the mid-heavyweight category, while Ivana Mabunay, a student of JBLCF, cornered a light-welterweight gold.

Joining Borbe in the junior women's novice NTU gold medal-haul were Doña Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School students Valen Kaye Pabilario, Melanie Gamboa and Johana Dela Cruz, and Rose Belle Erillo of St. Scholastica's Academy.

NTU, which was named by the PTA as one of the top two chapters in the Philippines and the second best city behind Las Piñas, also placed second overall in the grade school girls' novice competitions.

Aside from Borbe, the other Tigers gold medal winners in the grade school girls' novice category were Nikki Binguan, Carmina Gonzaga, Janine Sision, Abegail Tio and Isabella Mora.

Gaudencio Tabanao III is the assistant coach, while Russelle Zamora acted as the assistant trainer for NTU. The Ilog and La Carlota-based jins were supported by Mayor Paul Alvarez and the La Carlota local government. *CIT

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