By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Coach Flora Navales, the founder of Coach Flora Taekwondo Academy in Iloilo and a mentor to other huge stables in the City of Love, bagged two prestigious awards during her officiating stint in NCAA Season 99 and UAAP Season 86.
Navales was recognized as the Best Female Referee in both the NCAA and the UAAP and added two more trophies with only a month left before 2023 ends.
The widely-recognized taekwondo coach first served as an official in the NCAA from November 15-16, 2023, held at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
After the two-day sporting event, Navales was then hailed as the NCAA Season 99 Best Female Referee by the taekwondo committee.
Navales then took part in the UAAP Season 86 taekwondo tournament and replicated her achievement when she bagged the same award.
The UAAP Season 86 taekwondo tourney started November 27, 2023, and ended November 29, 2023, held at the Marikina Sports Center.
What made the award sweeter was that Navales was the only official from the Visayas and Iloilo who received a call from both sporting organizations.
Both the UAAP and the NCAA taekwondo tourneys are under the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), handled by referee chairman Roland Campos, a three-time Olympic referee and a Hall of Fame awardee.
According to Navales, Campos sent a letter to Sir Jun Diasnes, the RMC 6B Chairman, and requested her to become a part of the pool of officials.
