Master Buboy: 4-year-old taekwondo prodigy clinches his 3rd gold

Mention the typical routine of a modern Filipino toddler, and most people will paint a very specific picture of them glued to their phone screens while playing Roblox and Minecraft. In the case of four-year-old Jarris Kyxz S. Carrasco from General Trias, Cavite, he trades screen time for gold medals.

Locally known as “Master Buboy,” he has shown that discipline still runs deep in the youngest generation at the recent SMART/MVPSF CALABARZON Taekwondo Championships, a regional tournament for youth and up-and-coming athletes across Region IV-A, held last April 12 at Montano Hall in Cavite City.

Stepping onto the mats for the poomsae event in the Yellow Belt toddler division, he was the youngest in the room, lined up against 10 other participants who were between 5 and 7 years old.

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For most toddlers, that age gap is an overwhelming barrier that would either trigger tears or a run for the exit. For Buboy, however, it was just another day to execute a flawless front kick.

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When it was his turn to compete, Buboy locked in his focus and executed Taeguk 1,  the foundational 18-step form that serves as the starting point for every taekwondo practitioner. Every single block, punch and kick in the sequence was evaluated strictly on sharp precision, balance and power.

“Buboy’s performance was not perfect and had minor flaws, but he avoided major mistakes throughout the routine,” his mother, Jamie Lyn Carrasco, recalled in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

When the tournament judges finalized the tallies, the youngest boy in the lineup won the gold medal, marking the third of his young career.

But behind every golden moment is a story of pure hard work and passion. According to his mom, Buboy first showed interest in the sport at just one year old after watching kids train at a mall.

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“He was fascinated and treated it like a play, which made us realize early on that he enjoyed taekwondo,” Carrasco shared.

By age three, Buboy’s parents tried enrolling him in different taekwondo clubs, but they were advised to wait until he turned five, believing Buboy was simply too young to follow instructions.

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Undeterred, his family found a free taekwondo clinic in their barangay under coach Rex Gonzales, who recognized the toddler’s potential and welcomed him to the mats.

What began as a way to burn off energy quickly turned into a dedicated pursuit as Buboy gained experience in local tournaments. Guided by coaches Gonzales and Rosaceña, he secured two gold medals in the yellow belt toddler division, first in Bacoor City, Cavite, in September 2025 and second in Antipolo City, Rizal, last February.

In pursuit of a third gold medal, Buboy’s training went into overdrive as he practiced four times a week at the gym. Even on his rest days, the training shifted to their own living room, where his father learned the poomsae routine himself so they could practice movements and form together.

On tournament day, the collective family effort transformed into a triumph that resonated far beyond the technical scores. Carrasco expressed immense pride as a mother, noting that as meaningful as the gold medal was, what made it truly rewarding was seeing her son gain confidence and enjoy what he was doing.

“We are so proud of you, Buboy. Continue to follow your passion, stay humble, and always remember to pray. Keep shining, Master Buboy! Hiyahh!” she addressed her son.

In a generation heavily defined by screens, Buboy, with three gold medals so far, shows that when a child’s natural energy is met with a strong family support, no stage is too big to conquer. — Felicia Xharaya Caparas, INQUIRER.net trainee

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