SEAG: Taekwondo jin Justin Kobe Macario delivers 1st gold for PHL

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Taekwondo jin Justin Kobe Macario kicked off Team PHL’s Southeast Asian Games campaign on a high note after bagging the delegation’s first gold medal on Dec. 10, 2025, in Thailand.

The national team superstar delivered a golden performance after reigning supreme in the men’s poomsae freestyle individual event.

Macario was nothing but spectacular during his routine, showcasing sharp and precise kicks that helped him earn an impressive score of 8.200 points.

It was a neck-and-neck battle between him and host nation Thailand’s Koedkaew Atchariya, who finished with 8.100 points.

Completing the top three podium finishers in the poomsae individual event was Ken Haw of Malaysia, who garnered 7.740 points.

Macario displayed a phenomenal routine to nab the gold, completing all major elements in a poomsae showcase: flying or jumping side kick, turning kick, acrobatics, overall choreography, and kyorugi runs.

The uprising jin put the crowd on their feet when he completed a 1080, successfully executing three consecutive 360-turn kicks that set the tone for his performance.

Halfway through his routine, Macario also showed his stamina as he pulled off an accurate ‘multiple kicks’ move.

To put the icing on the cake, Macario wrapped up his gold medal run full of acrobatic elements, throwing a detailed flutter kick while on his way down from a backflip.

Before Macario’s gold-medal triumph, the PHL delegation received its first SEA Games medal from John Derick Farr, who nabbed bronze in the mountain bike downhill event.

Abante, Atletang Pilipino!