Kurt Bryan Barbosa Explained

Honorific Suffix:OLY
Nationality:Filipino
Birth Date:June 8, 1999
Hometown:Bangued, Abra
Country:Philippines
Sport:Taekwondo
Event: –54 kg,  –58 kg
Universityteam:NU Bulldogs
Club:One Mind Taekwondo (Abra)[1]
Coach:Carlos Padilla
Show-Medals:yes

Kurt Bryan Dela Vega Barbosa (born June 8, 1999[2]) is a Filipino taekwondo athlete who competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Career

College

Barbosa, a student of the National University, has competed in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). In 2018 during UAAP Season 81, Barbosa competing in the finweight category was named Rookie Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player for the UAAP's taekwondo tournament.[3]

National team

Kurt Barbosa, a native of Bangued, Abra,[4] was scouted for the Philippine national team during his participation in the Philippine National Games where he represented his home province, and became part of the Philippine Taekwondo Association's grassroots program.[5] Barbosa became part of the national team in 2019 and was placed under the tutelage of coach Carlos Padilla.[6]

He participated in the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships in the men's finweight category, although he failed to advance from the Round of 64 after his Thai opponent Ramnarong Sawekwiharee eliminated him from the tournament.

Barbosa competed at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which was hosted at home in the Philippines. He clinched a gold medal for the host delegation in taekwondo by besting the men's -54 kg category.[7]

2020 Summer Olympics

Barbosa qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the 2021 Asian Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.[8] He qualified for the Olympics through a top two finish, by beating Jordanian athlete Zaid Alhalawani despite trailing behind his opponent 12 seconds prior to the end of their match.[9] He is the first Filipino taekwondo male athlete to qualify since Tshomlee Go who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics[5]

Competing in the Men's −58 kg, Barbosa was scheduled to fight against top-ranked South Korean athlete Jang Jun, who also won gold in the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships, in the Round of 16.[10] Barbosa suffered a defeat, but still could have figure in the repechage to potentially clinch a bronze medal if Jang progressed all the way to the final.[11] However Jang lost to Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi of Tunisia in the semifinal, ending Barbosa's Olympic medal bid.[12]

Personal life

Kurt Bryan Barbosa has two younger siblings, Kurt Maverick, being the second oldest who is also a taekwondo athlete [1] and Sheena Angel, the youngest who is an aspiring dancer.

Notes and References

  1. News: Abreño brothers, Taekwondo medalists at the Philippine National Games . 23 May 2021 . abra.gov.ph . Aba Provincial Government.
  2. Web site: BARBOSA, Kurt Bryan . Tokyo 2020 Olympics . 15 July 2021 . en-us.
  3. News: Valderrama . Aeron Paul . Rookie-MVP Kurt Barbosa delivers NU back-to-back titles . 23 May 2021 . Tiebreaker Times . 10 November 2018.
  4. News: Leongson . Randolph . Pinoy jin Kurt Bryan Barbosa eyes Olympic ticket after SEA Games gold . 23 May 2021 . Sports Interactive Network Philippines . 10 December 2019 . en.
  5. News: Reyes . Marc Anthony . Barbosa has tools to win medal in Tokyo . 24 May 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 24 May 2021 . en.
  6. News: Ramos . Josef . Never say die . 24 May 2021 . BusinessMirror . 24 May 2021.
  7. News: Leongson . Randolph . Kurt Barbosa delivers lone gold for PH on final day of SEAG taekwondo . 23 May 2021 . Sports Interactive Network Philippines . 9 December 2019 . en.
  8. News: Asian Qualification Tournament concludes with Olympic places for seven countries. World Taekwondo. 22 May 2021. 23 May 2021.
  9. News: Yumol . David Tristan . PH taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa qualifies for Tokyo Olympics . 23 May 2021 . CNN Philippines . 22 May 2021 . May 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210523213652/https://cnnphilippines.com/sports/2021/5/22/Kurt-Barbosa-qualifies-for-Tokyo-Olympics.html . dead .
  10. News: Ochoa . Francis T. J. . Barbosa faces tournament favorite in opening taekwondo match . 22 July 2021 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 22 July 2021 . en.
  11. News: Morales . Luisa . Taekwondo's Kurt Barbosa can still win an Olympic medal. Here's how . 24 July 2021 . The Philippine Star . 24 July 2021.
  12. News: Lojo . Michelle . Olympic medal quest ends for Filipino taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa . 24 July 2021 . The Philippine Star . 24 July 2021.