Jasmin Strachan

Jasmin Strachan–Simpao is a Filipino taekwondo practitioner, born in Tondo, Manila. She competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She won a bronze medal in welterweight at the 1998 Asian Taekwondo Championships, and a bronze medal in featherweight at the 2000 Asian Taekwondo Championships.

Early life

In 1995, Strachan took her first taekwondo lesson. After a semester, she got a college scholarship and became a part of UST's taekwondo team. Two years later, she earned her black belt in taekwondo.

Career

In 1998, Strachan became a part of the Philippine national team. That year, she won a bronze medal in welterweight at the 1998 Asian Taekwondo Championships. She was then able to qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics by winning silver at the Asian & Oceania Qualification Tournament held in Manila. She, Roberto Cruz, Donald Geisler, and Eva Marie Ditan were the first four Filipino taekwondo jins to compete in the Olympics as taekwondo had just become an official sport.
Before competing in the 2000 Olympics, Strachan won a bronze medal in featherweight at the 2000 Asian Taekwondo Championships. At the Olympics, she got a bye in the first round. However, she then lost to Hieu Ngan Tran of Vietnam in the quarterfinals.
The following year, Strachan took home the bronze medal in the bantamweight at the 2001 SEA Games.

Personal life

Strachan's younger sister Josephine also represented UST in taekwondo competitions.
Strachan is married to Dindo Simpao. Together, they coach the Philippine national taekwondo team, and are also head coaches for the UST taekwondo teams for both the men's and women's teams.