Filipina taekwondo jin Tachiana Mangin secured the Philippines its first World Taekwondo Junior Championships gold medal in 28 long years after overcoming home bet Hyanggi Kim in the women’s 49kg finale in Chuncheon, South Korea.

The World Taekwondo-organized tournament is the largest TKD competition for the juniors category, and has been held biennially since its inauguration in Barcelona in 1996, which also happens to be the last time the country claimed a top podium finish courtesy of Alex Borromeo. 

Enter Tachiana Mangin. 

According to a report by GMA News Online, Mangin defeated Kim with a match-deciding 7-6 scorecard in the third round.

This was after a dominant 14-8 first frame, and a tightly contested second canto that went her South Korean foe’s way, 3-4. 

With the win, the taekwondo standout has also become the country’s first ever female gold medalist at the world championships for junior jins.

As of publishing, Tachiana also stands to be the only top finisher among the nine-athlete contingent fielded at the 2024 Chuncheon games.