Juliana Candelaria: Igorot Taekwondo Prodigy is Best of the Best in the World

Igorot Taekwondo prodigy Juliana "Myka" Candelaria, a member of the TEAM USA, is considered the "Best of the Best" in the World after winning major Taekwondo competitions.

The 12-year-old Candelaria bagged countless awards in the United States Taekwondo Cadet World Class Competition and won a Gold medal in the 2020 US Open Individual and Team Cadet Poomsae.

In the same year, Juliana landed in the number one spot in the USA TAEKWONDO (USAT) Grandslam Finals in Individual and Team Cadet Poomsae and became the youngest athlete to be a member of the USAT National Team.

Candelaria also recently won Gold Medal in the Taekwondo Pan Am International Championship and a Silver medal in the World Taekwondo Championship.

Candelaria, who started her career in 2016, is training at the Apex Tigers Martial Arts in New Jersey, under the Guidance of Master Giduk Kwon, and also trains freestyle Taekwondo with Coach Jeordan Dominguez, another world-class Igorot Taekwondo practitioner from La Trinidad, Benguet.

Juliana's parents Dennis and Janie are from Baguio City. She is the great-granddaughter of former Baguio city mayor Jaime Bugnosen, born in Kayan in Tadian, Mountain Province to parents who were both public school teachers and resettled in Mankayan, Benguet.

The family is now based in Chicago.

UPDATE (April 15, 2021): The Gold medal was won for the second consecutive year by Candelaria at the 2021 Taekwondo US Open against at least 80 tough taekwondo athletes.

UPDATE (June 6, 2021): Juliana has been recently recognized as one of the outstanding Lents Taekwondo athletes Worldwide with the Female Outstanding Performance Award.

"Juliana Candelaria, 4x Gold Medalist in the World Class Black Belt Division, 653 athletes from around the world. Being recognized as one of the outstanding athlete in Lents Taekwondo Worldwide. Our greatest appreciation to Master Giduk Kwon for cultivating her to always perform her best in the competition, and to Ms. Gina Hwang who is always behind in Myka's success in this field, to her lola Grace Candelaria her Strongest supporter and prays and cheers for her in every competition. To my friends and family members who are very supportive of my daughter thank you so much, her success is for you. To Master Lisa Lents and Edina Lents, thank you for organizing such a great event," her parents wrote on Facebook.

Juliana Candelaria Taekwondo Career Highlights:

"I never underestimate the value of training because I never underestimate the challenges that I will face" - Juliana Candelaria