TAEKWONDO star Pauline Lopez will skip the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia slated this May.
Lopez, a two-time gold medalist in the biennial meet, revealed that it was her personal choice to take a sabbatical in 2023.
"I won't be joining SEA Games this year, I plan on taking a break from competing, I'm still thinking if I want to go back," she told SPIN.ph.
READ: 50 Pinay athletes to march in SEAG opening
The Ateneo student-athlete won her two golds in the regionals back in 2019 Manila and 2015 Singapore.
She also owns a bronze from the 2018 Asian Games.
Lopez also skipped last year's Games due to COVID-19 restrictions, but clarified she's not done with the sport yet, saying she has other priorities at the moment.
"There's no injury, it's just my personal choice. I want to take a break to kind of find myself, who I am," she said.
When things get much clearer on her end, she revealed she won't hesitate to try out for the national team once again.
For now, the taekwondo team will be banking on Olympian Kurt Barbosa, and last year's medalists Dave Cea, Kirstie Alora, Baby Jessica Canabal, and Samuel Morrison.
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