HANGZHOU - Taekwondo jins Kirstie Alora and Samuel Morrison officially retired from the national team after losing their respective bouts in the 19th Asian Games.
Kirstie Alora, Samuel Morrison retirement
Alora went down against Anahita Tavakoli of Iran, 2-0, in the women's+67 kg class, while Morrison also suffered the same fate against Iranian Salimi, 2-0, in the men's+80 kg.
Both were emotional when everything was over.
"Malungkot because this is my last Asian Games. I am retiring after this," Alora, who represented the country in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, told Mei-Lin Lozada of One Sports.
The 33-year-old Filipina is a four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, who won his last one during its recent 32nd edition in Cambodia,
She also bagged a bronze each in the 2010 and 2014 editions of the Asiad held in Guangzhou, China and Incheon, South Korea, respectively.
"Siyempre I want to be an inspiration for my other teammates and sa mga bagong papasok sa national team namin."
Morrison, a four-time SEA Games champion like Alora, also felt the same way.
"Last competition ko, hindi pinalad," said the 33-year-old jin, a bronze medal winner in the 2014 Asiad.
"Gusto ko matandaan ng mga tao bilang si Samuel Morrison na down-to-earth sa lahat, kahit sino ka pa, papakisamahan kita, laging ready sumuporta sa lahat, at mahal na mahal ang Pilipinas."
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