[Editors' note: Sixth of a series as we reveal SPIN.ph's choices for its yearend Sportsman of the Year awards, which is now on its 12th year]
GAMECHANGER OF 2024
NO Filipina has ever taken home a gold medal in the World Junior Taekwondo Championships since its inception back in 1996.
That was until Tachiana Mangin changed all that last October in Korea.
The 17-year-old won the female -49kg category gold by beating hometown bet Kim Hyang Gi, 2-1 – changing the game for the ladies in Philippine taekwondo and proving worthy to be hailed as SPIN.ph Gamechanger of the Year.
In ruling the competition, not only did she become the first Filipina to win, she also became the first taekwondoin from the Philippines to strike gold after Alex Borromeo did so in the inaugural edition of the tournament in Barcelona.
Now, she sets her sights on a busy 2025 ahead which includes the World Taekwondo Championships in China and the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
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