Tachiana Kezhia Mangin poses with her gold medal at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships.–PHOTO FROM WORLD TAEKWONDO
MANILA, Philippines–Not often a gifted jin like Tachiana Mangin could spring a surprise on the world stage, a rare breed of talent assured of the Philippine Sports Commission’s backing.
Mangin accomplished a feat no Filipino had done on the global scene in nearly three decades by striking gold at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships this year in Chuncheon, South Korea.
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“There are athletes we have to focus on. Tachiana is one of them,” said PSC Commissioner Walter Torres in assessing some of the 18 national sports associations and their athletes under his watch at the sports-funding agency.
READ: Tachiana Mangin wins gold at world junior championships in South Korea
The Grade 12 from University of Santo Tomas defeated home favorite Kim Hyang of South Korea, 2-1, in the women’s -49kg finale at the Chuncheon Air Dome during the worlds last October.
Mangin’s achievement is the nation’s first world title since Alex Borromeo won the men’s -47kg in the 1996 edition in Barcelona, Spain.
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“How does she defend (her title) and maintain her performance? What does she need that the PSC could give?” said Torres.
“My biggest dream, really, is to compete in the Olympics in 2028. It has become my motivation to bring out the best in me,” said Mangin, who was awarded the best junior jin in the country for the second year in a row at the recent 2024 Nickel Asia Corporation Siklab Youth Sports Awards.
She’ll be carving that path all the way to the Los Angeles Olympic Games under the tutelage of Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora.
“Tachiana has a bright future ahead. She’s no ordinary athlete. In fact, she almost made it to the Paris Olympics,” said Alora, Philippine taekwondo’s last Olympian during the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Summer Games.
Torres has begun sitting down with the officials of sports under his care to justify their financial requests prior to the agency’s budget hearing early next year to be presided over by PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann.
READ: Behind Olympics dreamer is a coach who’s been there
“Probably a portion of the budget will go to her (Mangin) and her teammates, then the rest for another program for those who are trying to catch up with the goal of at least a podium finish,” said Torres.
Mangin’s triumph was a fitting follow-up to the 17-year-old’s victory at the Daegu 2024 World University Taekwondo Festival in South Korea last July.
“She’s very coachable and never backs down. With these attributes, I believe she’s capable of winning an Olympic medal,” said Alora, an accomplished mentor to Mangin having won two bronze medals each in the Asian Games and the Asian championships.
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The 34-year-old Alora’s wealth of experience is likewise to rub off on Mangin after winning four golds and five silvers in the Southeast Asian Games.
