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PJ set for Chinese kung fu

ezad — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:02:09 MYT

Email Print 23 February 2012 | last updated at 11:02pm
PJ set for Chinese kung fu

PETALING JAYA: The inaugural Chempaka Wushu Open on March 31 aims to advocate traditional Chinese Wushu culture and to promote the practice of martial arts in order to maintain physical health and to cultivate sound and active minds.

Promoted by the Wushu Federation of Kuala Lumpur and with the support of the Petaling Jaya City Council, the competition will take place in Chempaka Buddhist Lodge.

The tournament is divided into open and school categories.

Each participating team are required to have a leader, a coach and not more than 20 participants.

Each participant should not register for more than four events and must have their own insurance.

Participants may dress in their chosen clothes, clothes that are provided by the organisers or their own uniforms.

The judging criteria will be based on competition rules and recognised by the International Wushu Federation and rules and regulations promulgated by the Wushu Federation of Malaysia.

Medals will be given to the winning individuals, teams and individual all-round championships.

The open competition will be held from morning to afternoon while a charity vegetarian dinner-cum-prize presentation ceremony will take place at night.

Admission to watch the competition is free.

All proceeds from ticket sales of the charity dinner will go to the Chempaka Welfare Home.

The top three winning teams will be performing at the dinner session.

Closing date for entries is Feb 26.

For details, call Chempaka Buddhist Lodge's wushu coach, Master Yong at 012-605 7045 and the secretariat at 03-7880 3936.

SHOWBIZ: Passionate about kungfu - Tech - New Straits Times

ezad — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:11:28 MYT

A YEN for martial arts films has seen Michael Chuah fulfilling his childhood dream of not only making one but also starring in it.

Since young, the Petaling Jaya-born Chuah, 32, has always been fascinated by kungfu films. He took up a martial arts, particularly taekwondo, at nine.
A few years later, he joined the Chin Woo Athletic Association and became skilled in wushu, and even became a State representative in competitions.

He formed his own stunt team in 2008 for commercial work under production company, EP Films Sdn Bhd.
And this is the same team that worked with Chuah on his kungfu film, Fist of Dragon, slated for screening in more than 60 cinemas nationwide from Thursday.
Touted as an “action comedy”, the S$1 million (RM2.32 million) movie is co-produced by EP Films and Beishen and Desen International Co Ltd (China) and Singapore’s Fusion Media Pte Ltd.

The plot revolves around Jie (Chuah) who is asked by his parents in mainland China to help out Uncle Chen (Singaporean actor Henry Thia), whose village in Malaysia is being besieged by thugs.
Initially, he was only scheduled to direct the movie but decided to also star in it due to the last-minute withdrawal of the original lead.

“Due to time constraints and my martial arts background, I felt that I was the right replacement since my team and I had been training together. I had also choreographed the fighting scenes,” said Chuah.
He added that the movie shoot started in late 2009 but was delayed in 2010 due to problems relating to approval to film in China.

“The rest of the shoot, which was filmed on location in Malacca, took about 1½ months, with another two months reshooting and editing the movie,” said Chuah, adding that much time was also spent on investors vetting the script. “I have confidence that the movie will do well as action films tend to sell and movie patrons like to watch visuals. Earlier, we have had inquiries from overseas, especially Britain, asking when we’ll be coming out with an action film,” said Chuah, who made his directorial debut in 2007 with Seed of Darkness, which saw him being nominated for the Most Promising Director award at the Malaysian Film Festival that year.

Citing that the plot was based on his own experiences and observations, Chuah said he was planning to do more “Malaysianised productions”.

On being labelled the “young Donnie Yen”, Chuah said he still has “a long way to go” before he can reach the level of the Hong Kong martial arts superstar.
Also present at the Press conference were Singaporean star Henry Thia and local actor Monday Kang, who plays Ming, the gangleader’s younger brother, in the movie.
Thia had members of the Press in guffaws when he joked it was money which motivated him to accept the role of Uncle Chen.

“But seriously, I was attracted by the plot and also impressed by Chuah, who was a good and flexible director,” said Thia, adding that he was lucky that his role did not require him to fight. “It’s better to be beaten than to fight,” he quipped.

As for Kang, he was making his celluloid screen debut after having acted in several local TV dramas.
“I’ve played villains before but I enjoyed this role the most because I get to play my character with a hint of craziness, almost bordering on over-the-top,” said Kang, adding that he was cast after reading only one line at the audition.

The filmmakers are in the midst of editing a tamer version of Fist of Dragon, with the triad element omitted and the violence toned down, for release in China.

From heaven to hell, Greek sport in freefall

ezad — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:05:00 MYT

The Olympic Taekwondo stadium is seen behind a fence at Faliro complex in Athens, in this file picture taken May 17 2011. REUTERS/John Kolesidis/Files

ATHENS (Reuters) - Peeling paint flakes from Athens' Olympic park. Its entrances locked, this once sparkling edifice to sporting greatness lies rotting and largely unused -- maintenance costs too high for near-bankrupt Greece to operate.

The rate of decay and dilapidation in just eight years provides a visual clue to the Greek scenario, one as effective as any economist's report or politician's statement.

"Like heaven and hell," Greek athletics federation chief Vassilis Sevastis told Reuters, comparing the heady days of 2004 when the Greeks staged the Olympics, with today.

Back then the country was crackling with optimism, pride and activity, as it rushed to deliver the multi-billion dollar Games organizers hoped would boost the country's growth and its modern image abroad.

The Greeks also spared no expense in preparing the foundations for a spectacular medal haul: 16 medals for a nation of just 10 million people.

These days, however, Greek athletes must be satisfied with a trickle of money as they prepare for this year's London Olympics, the debt crisis having dried up almost every revenue stream for sports, public or private.

"It reflects our reality. The country that gave birth to the notion of measure went completely over the top," Sevastis said.

The 2004 Games that were to help shape a better future for Greece, turned into a noose as the billions of euros they cost only weighed on the country's subsequent debt crisis.

The country's coalition parties must tell the European Union on Monday whether they accept the painful terms of a 130 billion euro (107 billion pound) rescue, which Greece needs soon to avoid a chaotic debt default.

"SOULLESS BUILDINGS"

Having squandered the first three years of preparations, organisers were told in 2000 to speed up work or risk losing the Olympics. As a result, Greece embarked on a four-year building frenzy, with three shifts a day, that lasted up until a few days before the Olympics.

The country dug deep into taxpayers' pockets, dishing out an estimated $12 billion, more than double the initial projections.

"Obviously opportunities were lost," Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) President Spyros Kapralos told Reuters.

"The success of the 2004 Olympics was lost when the lights went out at the end of the closing ceremony as our country had no plan to capitalise on their success."

A string of failed attempts to lease some of the facilities has only further highlighted Greece's inability to draw any benefits from hosting the world's greatest sports extravaganza.

Even the city's entire southern coastline to the port Piraeus, which had been sprinkled with Olympic venues, remains fenced off, prime real estate in a state of limbo for eight years.

"The dream of the Olympics that improved our image in the world during those 16 days has been lost, and it makes me sad," Kapralos said.

"We had a foundation of good people in 2004, a dynamic which now is lost just like the venues that have become soulless buildings."

Kapralos still hopes Greece can return from London with six medals, but it is a challenge to see where they may win them as Greek sport continues to be shredded by the financial crisis.

The Greeks will march into the Olympic stadium first, as tradition dictates, with a team numbering around 75, or half the size of the team it sent to the Beijing Games in 2008 -- athletes' dreams another victim of boom-time profligacy.

"CATACLYSMIC EVENT"

Apart from massive budget cuts for all Greek sports federations, gone are all the state incentives for athletes to succeed on the world stage.

"The debt crisis now has affected both sport and the National Olympic Committee. In the previous quadrennium (2005-2008) the Greek state paid around 30 million in total towards the country's Olympic preparation," said Kapralos, a former water polo player.

"We had agreed the same amount from the state (for 2009-2012). In 2010 and 2011 the amount we got from the Greek state was zero," he said. "So our preparation has suffered."

The cuts essentially meant the end of any effort to send a competitive team to London, and even made it near impossible for athletes to qualify as travel budgets were slashed.

The gymnastics team were unable to travel to Tokyo for their Olympic qualifiers. The weightlifting, sailing and water polo teams experienced similar problems in recent months.

The HOC had to step up and foot the sailors' bill for the trip to Australia for the world championships while the International Olympic Committee is paying the preparation for 22 Greek athletes' and the country's women's water polo team, the 2011 world champions.

Greece's athletics competitors are left with ramshackle training facilities, their indoor training centre at the Olympic stadium leaks and athletes must use buckets to collect the water.

"It was a cataclysmic event on all levels for us," Sevastis, who has seen annual state funding for athletics cut by more than 40 percent from 2010 to 2011, said of the 2004 Games.

"There were mistakes, there were excesses, yes, in the run-up to the Athens Games. Funding (for sport) was more than significant, sponsors came in.

"Nowadays our athletics pyramid has collapsed. Our future is neither bright nor hopeful. The passion of the athletes and their personal commitment is what keeps things afloat."

(Editing by Ossian Shine)

Sabah Targets 24 Gold Medals In Pahang Sukma

ezad — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:38 MYT

February 14, 2012 16:01 PM

SANDAKAN, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- The Sabah contingent that will take part in the SUKMA hosted by Pahang in July has targetted 24 gold medals.

Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Peter Pang En Yin said the target was a reasonable one and would surpass the medals won at the Terengganu SUKMA in 2008 and Melaka SUKMA in 2010.

Peter Pang said in Terengganu, the Sabah contingent won 22 gold medals and managed 23 gold medals in Melaka.

"I am confident that the contingent will be able to achieve the target or even perform better than the set target," he said here today.

He said Sabah would be competing in 20 of the 24 sports competed, namely aquatics, badminton, weightlifting, cycling, gymnastics, golf, karate, lawn bowls, archery, shooting, sailing, sepak takraw, football, taekwondo, boxing, petanque, athletics, tenpin bowling, pencak silat and squash.

Peter Pang said the Sabah SUKMA contingent had listed 261 athletes, 47 coaches and 19 managers.

The Pahang SUKMA will see participation from 14 state contingents and Brunei (invitation).

-- BERNAMA

SPORTCHECK: Tunku Imran: Exposure will be our best lesson - Other - New Straits Times

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:42:09 MYT

Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar and Cereal Partners Malaysia country business manager Nirmalah Thurai (on Tunku Imran’s right) with other officials and exponents at the launch of the Nestle Koko Krunch Junior Taekwondo Championships in Bukit Jalil yesterday. Pic by Supian Ahmad

AMIDST all the hype surrounding Malaysia's chances of bagging its first ever gold medal at the Olympics this year, Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar has reminded the public to be mindful of the bigger picture in the country's involvement at the London Games.

Tunku Imran, while acknowledging that badminton and cycling did offer the country a good shot at a gold medal, however said that the spirit of competition and providing exposure to younger athletes was what mattered most.

"We have some very good track cyclists, which includes Azizul (Hasni Awang), who has a very good chance of winning a medal, hopefully the gold, and also Josiah (Ng) who has won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games," said Tunku Imran, when met at the launch of the 7th Nestle Koko Krunch Junior Taekwondo Championships at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

"We also have some very good divers such as Pandelela Rinong, who might find it difficult to win gold with China in the competition, though other medals are possible.

"Our archers, though not considered favourites, also have an outside shot, and if they do make the final or win a medal, would have done very well.

"From the point of view of the OCM, however, it is not so much the medals that is the aim, but rather to ensure our athletes perform to the best of their abilities at the championships.

"It is also for the younger ones to learn from their experience at the Olympics and perhaps next time around can win medals for the country."

Tunku Imran, who is also Taekwondo Malaysia (TM) president, said programmes such as the Nestle Koko Krunch Junior Taekwondo Championship played a vital role in developing athletes to represent Malaysia at world-class events such as the Olympics.

"This is exactly what taekwondo, all sports for that matter, desperately need at the grassroots level which is regular competitive exposure," he said.

The tournament will this year feature four legs compared to three last year.

The seven to 12 age group tournament, which is expected to attract more than 1,800 competitors, will kick off in Penang on March 3 to be followed by Johor (April 1), Terengganu (May 5) and will culminate in the grand final in Kuala Lumpur on May 20.

BOXING: Ramly confident charges have what it takes

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:27:15 MYT

30/1/2012

DESPITE failing to make an impact in recent international competitions, national boxing coach Ramly Yahya still believes his charges have what it takes to win an Olympic spot at the Asian Qualifiers to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan in early April.

The event will see former Sea Games gold medallist Mohd Farkhan Haron and youngster Khir Akyazlan Azmi compete for places in the 75kg and 64kg categories respectively.

The tournament will be the last chance for Malaysian boxers to qualify for the Olympics after failing to do so at the the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last year.

"It was tough for them at the World Boxing Championships as it was a world class tournament, but they showed they could still give their opponents a run for their money," said Ramli, who trains the national boxers together with Prasit Tungjai of Thailand.

"There is a realistic chance one of them will be able to land a spot as quality-wise they are right up there with the rest at the Asian level, but it will not be easy as there are many factors that come into play.

"They need to at least make the semi-finals at the event to secure a spot to the Olympics and need to be at their best from the first round to stand a chance."

For the 75kg and 64kg categories there are still five and four places respectively still available for Asian boxers.

Mohd Fuad Mohd Ridzuan , who won gold in the 49kg category at the Arafura Games last year despite being initially marked to take part in the tournament, will not compete as the Asian quota for the 49kg category has already been filled.

Ramli said motivation-wise the 24-year-old Farkhan, who had to settle for silver at the Indonesia Sea Games after losing to Indonesian Alex Tatontos in a matched deemed to be unfairly judged, was raring to go into the history books as the first Malaysian boxer to qualify for the Olympics on merit.

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sapok Biki is the last Malaysian to compete at the Olympics. He competed at the 1996 Atlanta Games after being given a wild card.

"Farkhan had a mixed year last year after he struggled to balance his studying with boxing but has since come back to full-time training and is in great form," said Ramly.

"He was a little demoralised after the Sea Games but is now raring to go as he really wants to grab that Olympic spot by merit and also understands that if he does not do it now he will have to wait another four years.

"Khir, at 19, is much younger and although he lacks experience has showed that he has great potential by winning a bronze medal at the recent Sea Games."

Ramli added that the duo will be competing in a number of invitational tournaments in the months leading up to the Asian Qualifiers to keep them in peak form for the event, beginning with the Mayor's Cup in Kuala Lumpur next month.

CM: Sports bodies should be run by dedicated people

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:23:49 MYT

THAT’S INTERESTING: Hamden takes a closer look at the magazine while (from right) Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) president Mohamad Salleh Sani, treasurer Alex Yeo and state technical chairman Tan Check Joon look on.

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 28, 2012, Saturday

KUCHING: Taekwondo is one of the sports that has many dedicated people who are working hard to produce high achievers through its development programme.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Taib Abdul Mahmud said sports organisations should be run by people who would be willing to sacrifice their time and energy to promote the development of sports and games.

“The just concluded SEA Games in Jakarta, Indonesia had amply demonstrated the standard that the Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) has achieved by contributing medals for Malaysia,” Taib said in his message in the association’s inaugural Magazine 2010/2011.

The magazine was launched last Friday by the association’s patron Datuk Hamden Ahmad.

“I am also happy to note that the Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) is also planning to set up taekwondo infrastructure at district and divisional levels in Sarawak,” said the chief minister.

He sincerely hoped that the state taekwondo body would be able to cater to the needs of all its members within the Sarawak taekwondo communities and clubs and contribute towards the improvement of the standard of local instructors and athletes to that of world standard.

Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, in congratulating the association for the inaugural edition of the magazine, said he was happy to note that the Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) had continued to identify talents as well as fostering a competitive spirit among the youngsters by supporting their participation in various events.

“We look forward to witness our athletes raising the Sarawak flag at the Sukma XV in Kuantan, Pahang, as well as national and international championships in future,” he added.

Mawan said through the Sarawak State Sports Council, his ministry is striving continuously to develop and promote high performance sports by working closely with various state sports associations.

“We are striving to achieve the objective of raising the standards of Sarawakian athletes by giving trainings and creating more sports facilities throughout the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hamden, also Sarawak Plantation Berhad group managing director, said the corporate group was delighted to support Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) in promoting taekwondo and spur the state athletes to greater heights.

He noted that taekwondo had been growing rapidly in the country, with national athletes making headlines in both domestic and international arenas and also the general public paying more attention to measures that help promote better health.

“In today’s world of high performance sports, it takes more than just talent and skills to reach the top. We talk about new and proven training techniques and programmes, strategies, excellent coach, excellent administration and management, strong visionary leadership and a powerful sense of mission in the journey to the top,” he said.

The 38-page magazine mirrors the true credentials of Sarawak Taekwondo Association (WTF) and the important milestones that it had achieved in 2010 and 2011.

It also reflects how the association had been able to live up to its aim, providing quality trainings, seminars, events to the athletes, instructors and officials.

So you wanna fight?

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:19:26 MYT

Peter Davis (right) working on his striking techniques at Muayfit. — Pictures by Choo Choy May

By Lydia Koh
January 30, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Just when you thought you had heard of all the various martial arts styles — Brazilian ju jitsu, Muay Thai, etc. — here comes another: mixed martial arts.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is gaining popularity in Malaysia with a number of MMA camps already established here such as Muayfit, Leverage MMA and Ultimate MMA. And whether you are a black belt holder of Tae Kwon Do or a beginner who just wants to try out MMA, there are no restrictions on age, gender, fitness level or previous martial arts experience.

MMA is open to all and this sport (or blood sport as some may say) is quite the rage now.

But what exactly is MMA?

“MMA is just different (fighting) styles all put together under one roof but to make it a proper MMA fight you need one person to understand several (fighting) styles,” said coach Peter Davis. “You need one standing style like kickboxing, boxing, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, etc. Then you need a grappling style such as Brazilian Jiu Jit Su or Sambo — in between, there is also wrestling as well: Russian wrestling, Sambo stuff, Judo takedowns, MMA wrestling — you have to kind of mix it all together. One person has to mix it. If one place teaches all the styles, it is not considered MMA. It is a mix of martial arts.”

If Davis looks familiar, it is because he is also a model who has appeared in quite a few commercials. And those of you who love indie cinema may have also caught him in the award-winning movie “Sell Out”.

He coaches MMA in Muayfit, and is competing in the upcoming ONE Fighting Championship, Asia’s largest mixed martial arts event, this month. It will be the second ONE Fighting Championship, and will be held at BritAma Arena in Jakarta. Davis will go up against Indonesian Ngabdi Mulyadi, whose fighting style strength is in wrestling.

Davis practises Wuji San Shou, a non-traditional free-style kung fu that stemmed from street fighting. It involves striking (standing) and groundwork (grappling), which meets the requirements of MMA.

“He (Mulyadi) is a good wrestler. My style is stand-up so he’s going to try to take me down and I hope my groundwork is good enough. I’m going to do as much striking as I can and not play his game so much. If I can stay standing, I will stay standing.

“I’m not going into the fight with the thought of losing, I’m going into the fight with the thought of winning,” said Davis.

So yes, MMA is not a style of its own but a category. As different styles of martial arts have their own set of rules and ways of winning, it is event promotions such as ONE Fighting Championship and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that regulates how a fight is won.

For the ONE Fighting Championship, a fighter wins either by a knockout, submission, verbal tap out, technical knockout by a referee stop the fight, a cornerman throwing in the towel, or judges’ decision. MMA fights usually go up to three rounds of five minutes each.

Unlike specific martial arts styles, MMA does not have a belt system. According to Davis, fighting in tournaments such as ONE Fighting Championship and UFC makes you an MMA artist if you are successful.

“You need to prove yourself in MMA to get respect,” said Davis. “You don’t get certification to teach MMA, really. You just participate in fights and if you win, then you are an MMA fighter. Your experience and knowledge are the basic ways to see if you are a fighter. It is a practical test, a proven test, really.”

One popular local MMA tournament is the Malaysian Fighting Championships (MFC) organised by Muayfit. It had people coming in from Singapore to fight as well, and Davis said that there was a good turnout.

Victor Cui, ONE Fighting Championship CEO and owner, believes that the sport of MMA is growing rapidly in Malaysia. ONE Fighting Championship will be coming to Kuala Lumpur with a show at Stadium Negara on April 27.

Enriching training stint for Kuala Lumpur wushu exponents

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:01:08 MYT

GOOD EXPERIENCE: Loh (from second left), Ng and See giving the thumbs up with Ling and Chia (right) at Hi-Bread Kopitiam.

KUCHING: It was a enriching experience for three Kuala Lumpur Sukma wushu exponents and their coach from China as they completed a 11-day training stint on Saturday with the Sarawak wushu team here.

The trio; Ng Kok Koon, 21, Loh Choon How, 19 and 18-year-old See Min and coach Ju Jin Yi were in Kuching from Jan 4-14 to train together with Sarawak exponents as part of the Sarawak-Kuala Lumpur wushu exchange programme.

The 11-day stint in Kuching was also part of their preparations for Sukma XV hosted by Kuantan, Pahang this year from July 4-17.

“Our short training stint here was more focussed on the correction of movements and techniques.

We have indeed learnt a lot from our Sarawak counterparts and coach Huang ShaoXiong here,” enthused Ng Kok Koon who competed in the wushu event at the Kedah Sukma in 2006, Terengganu Sukma in 2008 and Melaka Sukma in 2010.

Ng is currently on a diploma programme in Performance Arts at New Era College, Kuala Lumpur, and was a bronze medallist in changquan and nandao at Sukma XIII in Melaka.

He will be making his final appearance in the Pahang Sukma. Ng also came here in 2010 with Loh to prepare for the Melaka Sukma.

For Loh, who made his Sukma debut in Melaka in taijiquan, he experienced a radical change in his techniques.

“Before I came here, my movements were very ‘stiff’ but now I feel more natural and ‘soft’ when executing the taijiquan routine,” he said.

See, who is waiting for her SPM results, gave her thumbs up to the training attitude and discipline of the Sarawak exponents.

“They have the best attitude and discipline when coming to training,” she quipped.

“We are also very happy with the hospitality extended to us during our stay here.”

Our accommodation, food and transport were well taken care of,” she said in thanking the Wushu Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) and especially to coach Ling Ung Hee. She said given the chance, she would love to come to Kuching again either for training or sight-seeing.

Apart from the daily training programme on the various wushu disciplines, the trio also did outdoor training such as jogging.

“Your exponents train longer hours than us and I observed that their team spirit and teamwork are very high,” added See who debuted at Terengganu Sukma and went on to win the bronze in daoshu in Melaka Sukma.

“We feel more confident now and believe that our chances of winning medals in Pahang is greater after training in Kuching,” said See.

She said Sarawak was chosen for their training ground as their China coach Ju and Sarawak chief coach Huang were both from GuangXi and had trained together when they were in the China national team.

WFS secretary James Ting revealed this was not the first time that their Kuala Lumpur counterpart had sent their exponents here to train with Sarawak exponents.

“The exchange programme benefits both parties and being a wushu powerhouse, we are always ready to share our ideas and experience with other states,” he said.

Ting was also happy to note that Kuala Lumpur had picked Sarawak as the second choice for training after China.

“In the past, we have also sent our exponents to train at Bukit Jalil and the last time our exponents trained in Kuala Lumpur together with the national squad was in 2006,” he said.

The three exponents were met together with Ling and WFS secretary James Ting over breakfast sponsored by Hi-Bread Kopitiam owned by Chia Teck Lim, who is a former state exponent and national nanquan gold medallist in 2002.

Wushu camp helps participants build character

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:14:18 MYT

Swift: The participants demonstrating a few wushu moves.

Wednesday December 28, 2011

Photos by CHAN TAK KONG

PARENTS were impressed with the organisation of the Wushu Exposure Camp at the Rakan Muda Sports Complex in Puchong recently.

Sherifah Hanom Syed Hussin said it was a valuable learning programme for her eight- year-old son Wan Nor Aiman Nor Azri.

“It was not only wushu but also team-building and character development. In fact I am pleased with the programme.

“My son enjoyed his four days with the other participants. The programme gave him an insight on discipline as well as opportunities to interact with older participants,’’ said Sherifah.

The programme, an initiative by former world champion Ho Ro Bin, was to provide a platform for juniors to know more about the sport.

Besides going through the various forms of wushu, the participants had the chance to take part in various activities.

Ro Bin said the aim of the programme was to groom the participants for the future.

“Our programme was mainly to create friendship among the participants.

{image2_300x250}
Agile: The participants showcasing their wushu skills on the final day of the camp.

“Interaction among themselves was important as they have to work as a team in all the activities.

“Wushu practice sessions were held twice a day.

“They were intense but the participants enjoyed themselves. They were able to learn a lot of new techniques,’’ said Ro Bin.

The participants were involved in team discussions, warm-up sessions, games as well as social events. On the final day, the participants were given the opportunity to display their skills.

Ro Bin said he saw a lot of positive changes in the participants.

“They were receptive to the programme and showed a lot of enthusiasm. They were willing to learn. They should continue to practise what they have learnt here on a daily basis,’’ added Ro Bin.

S’wak shine in national wushu meet

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:47:04 MYT

GOOD OUTING: Members of the Sarawak wushu team in jovial mood after capturing ten golds, five silvers and ten bronzes to finish second overall in the National Wushu Championship. Standing from third left are team manager Tan Joo Chua and team coach Ling Ung Hee.

Posted on December 27, 2011, Tuesday

KUCHING: Sarawak wushu exponents put a sparkling show at the 23rd National Wushu Championship in Ipoh, Perak from Dec 21-23.

The state’s 15-member team captured a total of ten gold, five silver and ten bronze medals to finish second behind Kuala Lumpur who had 13 golds in the medals tally.

In fact, Sarawak could have emerged the overall champions if they had taken part in the sanshou, dulian and team events.

“Kuala Lumpur won all the 13 golds in sanshou and tuishou events but we won the most golds – six in the taolu events, the events which are included in Sukma competition,” said Wushu, Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) secretary James Ting yesterday.

Ting was very pleased the performance of the state exponents, especially the ten members of the state Sukma shadow team who brought home six golds.

“It is a very good result for us. The debutants like Kelly Shu, Bryan Sony Lah, Amelia Su and Lau Lik Kee have done very well by winning gold in the events they competed but some did not perform up to expectations,” he said, adding that it was a very good exposure for the exponents in the build-up to next Sukma.

Ting said Sarawak also ‘lost’ some golds through technical problems and to other national exponents.

“Thirty-three golds were already out of reach for us even before the championship started because we did not field exponents in sanshou, duilian and team events,” he said.

He said Sarawak did not send a bigger team as they faced financial constraints.

Kelly won the golds in nandao and nangun and a bronze in the nanquan while Bryan finished first in taijiquan and bagged a silver in taijijian, Amelia won the daoshu gold, gunahu silver and changquan bronze, Lau won gold in nandao and a bronze in nanquan.

National exponent Gjeblehem Bong took the gold in the qiangshu while the other golds came from national exponents Loh Jack Chang in the Sun Tajijquan and Tajijgang, and Diana Bong in the Chuantong Dao and Chuantong quan.

Meanwhile, Jarvis Lau won silvers in changquan and gunshu, Audrey Chan a silver in taijijian and bronze in taijiquan, Andy Chan the bronzes in nandao and nangun and Daniel Sim the bronze in daoshu.

Charlie Kho, Lim Lih Woei and Kon Chee Kiong, who competed in the tuishou events, each won a bronze from their resepective categories.

“In fact, we could have got a second gold from Gjeblehem in jianshu but he, being a national exponent, was only allowed to take part in only one event,” said Ting.

London 2012: Technology transforms taekwondo for Olympics

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:01:46 MYT

Has taekwondo overcome its technology woes? (UK users only)

By Jessica Creighton
Olympic sports reporter

The type of contentious judging decision that almost saw British taekwondo star Sarah Stevenson unfairly eliminated from the 2008 Olympics could be a thing of the past.

It has taken over two years but the sport might have finally revolutionised its controversial scoring system.

Stevenson was initially eliminated from the competition in Beijing, despite landing a two-point head kick in the dying seconds that should have won her a semi-final place, and only a protest saw her reinstated.

Since then, governing body the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has tried to do away with human frailties and introduced an electronic scoring system, with sensors fitted in the players' body armour and socks.

"It's the best I've ever seen it," said former Great Britain captain John Cullen at the recent Olympic test event in London. "It's the fairest and it's 99% accurate."

It has taken the WTF many months and numerous legal wranglings to get to this point, following problems with some of the other electronic systems they have tried.

Previously, scoring was in the hands of four judges who would press a button to award and deduct points. For a point to register, at least two judges had to press their buttons.

"From there, the world governing body has made massive changes," said Cullen.

"Now, it's a sensor in the sock and the body. When they connect with good power and good contact, the point registers automatically, which removes the subjectivity of it."

In addition, video replays have been introduced to allow players to have fight footage reviewed immediately if they feel judges have missed a point. The WTF has also overhauled how points are scored, raising the award for head kicks and spinning kicks to encourage more entertaining bouts.

It is all part of the plan to prove that taekwondo, which only made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Games, is worthy of Olympic inclusion when, in 2013, the International Olympic Committee reviews which sports will remain.

"It's a big year for the sport," said Cullen. "They have to be seen to be above aboard and giving the athletes a platform to perform, so they need to get the technology right. The world governing body has pulled out all the stops to get the sport ready for London."

But seven months out from the Games, there have been rumblings that the new equipment still needs some work.

"Athletes say sometimes when you hit it with full power it doesn't score, but that's the case for both athletes," explained Cullen. "Sometimes it's about contact, impact and accuracy, rather than just blasting the body. Fine-tuning needs to be put in place but they're very much on track.

"The Olympic Games deserves to have the best showcase of talent and the best athletes should always win. It's not always perfect, but it's fair, so that even if there are discrepancies it evens itself out and the best person wins."

And it is not just the image of the sport that the WTF has sought to change; the alterations that have come into place have seen major changes in how the players fight.

"The players have changed their games out of all recognition," said Cullen. "Now, there's a lot of pushing techniques because there's a sensor in the sole of the sock. They've also made it three points for a head kick and four points for a spinning head kick, which changes the game completely.

"The athletes have had to work hard on their flexibility, their timing, their footwork. It makes it a lot more exciting because everybody likes people getting kicked in the head."

Spectators at the test event in London were treated to just that as the competition ran smoothly, without any major technological hiccups.

Performance director Gary Hall, who was part of the British squad that appealed against Stevenson's quarter-final loss in Beijing, said he was content with the recent reforms.

"There's been a lot of technology changes since the last Olympics and it's improved the sport," stated Hall. "It's the right idea and the right initiative, and I'm pleased with the system that's in operation today.

"I've got no concerns about technology, the WTF have taken on all the feedback from the problems we had.

"Day in, day out [British fighters] work on the techniques, tactics and strategies that are going to win with this system."

The tiger roars home

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:56:00 MYT

Thailand’s Pidsanu Kunchat, the AXN Challenger Muaythai winner, talks about his experience, to Subhadra Devan

AND the muaythai winner is... Pidsanu Kunchat from Thailand! Also called Mardsua, the 25-year-old fought Jordan Watson from Britain last Wednesday to be the champion in the first AXN Challenger Muaythai reality television show.

Mardsua has been fighting since the age of 7, as muaythai is Thailand national’s sport. “Mardsua” means “tiger” in Thai, a fierce and highly respected animal in that country.

Mardsua was one of 16 contestants in the the challenge which premiered on Sept 15. His victory in the finale saw him also taking home US$100,000 (RM315,760), among other prizes.

{image2_300x250}
Kunchart Mardsua

Watson, 23, is also known as Quadzilla due to his powerful legs. The other contestants included South Africa’s Vuyisile Colossa, 29, and Malaysia’s Mohd Faizal Ramli.

The TV series, aired on Astro channel 701 and 721, was as much a showcase of respect, courage, determination and perseverance, as it was about the lethal martial art form of muaythai. The brawn in the reality competition series was alleviated by actress Sonia Couling, the ring commentator.

Each episode culminated in the Fight Night, the weekly showdown which saw two fighters duking it out for the right to stay in the running.

From the very first training session, the fighters were introduced to the Weapon Of The Week, the deciding factor which determined who got thrown into the ring that week. The weapons came from muaythai’s famous eight points of contact, ranging from fitness and conditioning, to different parts of the body such as fists, elbows and knees.

Every match had five rounds, with each bout lasting between five and 15 minutes. Before each match, a fighter trained intensively up to eight hours a day, six days a week. The discipline and dedication invested by each fighter was amazing to watch.

Who was your toughest competitor?
Vuyisile Colossa. He was very strong, and of course Jordan in the final — my two hardest fights by far.

Was there one moment in the show when you thought, I don’t want to do this?
No. It was a great experience. Being Thai, I am very laidback and took the long hours of filming in my stride.

Being the only Thai in the competition, was there much pressure?
A little... they expected me to do good.

How did you handle it?
I kept to myself a lot of the time.

Your Facebook page states: “Muaythai is my sport, my hobby and my job. In Thailand, there are not many choices. You either work in the rice farms or you fight, and I chose fighting!” True?
True in a sense, I would have to work hard for little money (if I was) not a fighter. In Thailand, it is still tough (even) with a good education.

What was the best clinch in the show, in your opinion?
The double header fight nights — that got everyone talking and strategies came into the game. We had to be very careful who we were with and our team mates... you might meet them in the final.

Now that you’ve won, what’s the next move?
I have already started to work again and (am) looking forward to my next fight. I need to keep in shape because now everybody will want to challenge me!

Please tell me three ways you use Buddhism in your life.
Calmness in my game, respect toward others and lots of thinking before acting.

Big Sibu team for wushu tournament in Hong Kong

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:52:01 MYT

December 8, 2011, Thursday

SIBU: The Sibu Martial Art (Quan Shu) Association will send over 20 exponents to the International Wushu Tournament in Hong Kong after the Chinese New Year.

“This is third year running we are taking part. In the last two years, we had brought home various titles to help build up the name of Sibu,” association chairman Yung Dak Looh said.

He pointed out that exposure was important because it would allow the exponents to gauge their standards against international opponents.

Yung is confident of a good showing, saying the exponents were now training five days a week.

He said the weekends were reserved for lion and dragon dance practice — two cultural activities they could not neglect.

According to Yung, the Hong Kong tournament will likely see the best kungfu experts in the fray. About 10,000 exponents are expected to show up.

He also said the international exposure for the Sibu team was Plan A of a long-term development programme, adding that the association was now negotiating for a youthful wushu coach from Guangdong, China.

“We are expecting to sign a one-year contract with the coach who should be here shortly after the Chinese New Year. Though young, he is no stranger to the rigours of international tournaments.”

Tung said the association would seek sponsorships for the project and with the hiring of the coach, training courses would be conducted for the local exponents.

He stressed the association also wanted its exponents to compete in local and regional tournaments as part of their development.

“We will chart a five-year plan, including the setting up of a training centre with the help of the state government,” he said, adding that he had already mentioned the proposal to Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

“I’m happy the minister is supportive. We will look for a piece of state land, and with his help, apply for it.”

He said now they had no proper training venue and were using the open space on top of a shophouse.

“We have to move the equipment to the top floor and down again after practice. That’s not all. Rain is the biggest problem. We cannot practise regularly during the wet season.”

Yung said there were times it started pouring after they had trained for 10 minutes – so they had to pack up and go home.

Feeling right at home

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:50:03 MYT

Posted on 2 December 2011 - 04:37pm
Bissme S
lifestyle@thesundaily.com

HOLLYWOODactress Natassia Malthe is the only rose among the thorns in the Malaysian-produced action epic film, Vikingdom 3D.

“I like being the only girl on the set and I get to kick butt, too,” says the actress, who has starred in films such as Skinwalker, Bloodrayne and DOA: Dead or Alive.

Vikingdom centres on a Viking warrior, played by Hollywood star Dominic Purcell (of television’s Prison Break fame), and his group of friends, who have to fight against a demi-god who wants to rule the world. Playing one of the warriors is Malthe.

The movie, produced by KRU Studios Sdn Bhd, has an all-Hollywood cast, including Jon Foo and Conan Stevens.

Under the direction of Yusry Abdul Halim, Vikingdom is set for a worldwide release in 2013. KRU is hoping that Vikingdom will put the company and Malaysia on the international movie platform.

Malthe is currently in Malaysia for the filming, which is expected to wrap up by Dec 21.

Indirectly, the movie has brought Malthe closer to her roots as her mother is from Sabah. Her mother met her father in Toronto, Canada, before moving to his homeland Norway after their marriage.

“I still have family in Sabah,” says Malthe.

This is her second trip to Kuala Lumpur. The first time she came here was some years ago to shoot a commercial. “I was here only for six hours,” she says.

This time around, she has more time to spend here and she is totally mesmerised by Malaysia’s beauty.

While growing up in Norway, Malthe initially wanted to be a ballerina. At the age of three, she took up gymnastics but when she turned eight, she switched to ballet. But fate had a different plan for her.

“I twisted my ankle 11 times,” she recalls, adding, “my ankle then became weak and I had no choice but to give up ballet.

“It was a hard decision to make as I had invested a lot of time and energy on ballet.”

She also had another reason to give up ballet – she just could not imagine herself living in Norway, working for the same ballet company and in the same studio, year after year.

“I couldn’t imagine spending my whole life staying put in one place,” she says.

The fact that she would have to be really thin in order to be a ballerina did not appeal to her too.

“I cannot imagine not being able to eat decently. It would be a torture for me and I don’t think I want to put myself through that.”

Malthe then decided to try her hand at acting. “I’ve always wanted to act ... when you grow up dancing, you need to do something similar to it, yet different.”

Malthe’s Vikingdom co-star Jon Foo, who is known for his martial arts roles, says he is attracted to Malaysia’s natural beauty.

He was particularly enthralled with the caves at Gua Tempurung in Ipoh and Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah, Perak, two of the location shoots they did.

Born in London, Foo is of Irish-Chinese descent. When he was 15, he joined the circus where he performed as a martial arts artiste and acrobat.

At 22, he was invited to join Jackie Chan’s stunt team where he got to work with some of the top performers in action movies in Hongkong, including world-renowned action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping.

“I thought someone was playing a trick on me when I got the invitation by Jacky Chan to go to Hongkong,” Foo says.

His big break came when he got to play the lead role in Hollywood film Tekken.

He also had roles in Universal Soldier, Street Fighter Legacy and Rebirth.

When asked if he ever wanted to play a role which would not require him to use his martial arts skills, he says: “Martial arts is a big part of my expression. I’ve seen actors who have a certain skill but hide it in order to prove themselves as versatile actors.

“I want to be an actor and still keep my martial arts skills. The challenge for me is to bring something new to the character I play.”

Bidayuh village hosting martial arts gathering

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:46:21 MYT

EXPERIENCED AND BUDDING EXPONENTS: (From second left, seated) George, Mat and Dunstan with Soo Bahk Doo students of Kampong Bidayuh Miri.

Posted on December 2, 2011, Friday

MIRI: Kampong Bidayuh Miri is to host a goodwill pre-Christmas gathering for an international group of martial arts exponents attending the 10th South East Asia Leadership Seminar.

Grandmaster HC Hwang who is founder and president of the World Moo Duk Kwan, his contingent of Ko Dan Ja (masters) and 70 international exponents will arrive on Dec 4.

The village’s publicity chief and senior JKKK advisor George Sikien Sunow said the delegation would be meeting young Bidayuh Moo Duk Kwan/Soo Bahk Doo students.

The organising chairman is Dunstan J Langgi, a renowned Bidayuh Soo Bahk Do instructor and master in Miri.

Master Dunstan and Kayan instructor Mat Wan organised and set up a Soo Bahk Doo Martial Art class in Kampong Bidayuh in June 2011.

It now has 31 junior students comprising Bidayuh and non-Bidayuh children from the village.
“This visit by the president and his team of renowned Korean world martial art exponents is an encouragement to young Bidayuh martial art students who will get the golden opportunity to meet the founder of the martial art.”

“This is an international tourism exposure for the kampung which we hope will become well known throughout the world, and eventually become a popular tourist destination,” George told The Borneo Post yesterday. During the gathering, students will be attired in their ‘do bok’ (uniform).

A traditional welcome await the visitors. There will be cultural performances and native style dinner where tuak (local rice wine) will be offered alongside local dishes of the Bidayuh and other ethnic communities at the village.

Grandmaster Hwang from Korea accompanied by the chief instructor for Europe, Master Romano Yap (7th Dan), and his contingent of Ko Dan Ja will arrive in Miri on Friday to conduct the 10th South East Asia Leadership Seminar.

The six-day seminar (starting Friday) will be attended by 70 exponents from 10 countries including Malaysia.

Co-curriculum boost for wushu

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:43:19 MYT

FUTURE STARS: The young wushu exponents who will be taking part in the Foundation category.

Posted on December 1, 2011, Thursday

KUCHING: The Sarawak Wushu Championship next year is expected to draw a record number of exponents as the martial art sport has been made a co-curriculum subject in primary and secondary schools statewide.
Wushu, Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) secretary James Ting said yesterday the championship this year attracted a total of only 81 exponents from 13 primary and 15 secondary schools in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

However, with wushu confirmed as a Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) event in 2012, he strongly believed more teams would be taking part in the next Sarawak Wushu Championship with the full involvement of the Education Ministry.

Ting attributed the low turnout for this year’s championship from Dec 2 to 3 to financial constraints faced by the outstation teams.

He said another reason was that many wushu students had not gone for their duan upgrading and parents were also not making the effort to get approval from the principals for their children to take part.
Regardless, he pointed out, wushu had always been a strong sport in Sarawak with support from the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS), and commitment from WFS committee members, schools, parents, coaches and the media.

There are now 25 schools from five WFS affiliates in Kuching, Sibu and Miri and over 60 school wushu clubs in the state.

“Due to the strong commitment of our local coaches, we have been able to maintain our wushu powerhouse status in Malaysia,” Ting said.

Sarawak now have 29 athletes training under China coach Huang Shaoxiong at the MSNS elite centre at Jalan Kung Phin.

Due to the big pool of exponents, WFS recently met Assistant Sports Minister Lee Kim Shin on a request for another foreign coach to assist the state chief coach.

“Lee has verbally agreed and we are expecting the additional coach to arrive soon,” Ting said.
Kuching are fielding the largest number of exponents – 45, including 15 girls – for the three-day championship
in the quest of their 21st consecutive overall championship title.

The First Division are represented by SJK Chung Hua No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, SK St Theresa, SJK St Paul, SJK Sam Hap Hin, SJK Stampin in the primary schools section and SMK Stampin, SMK Pending, SMK Sungai Tapang, SMK Green Road, SMK Jalan Arang and Chung Hua Middle School No. 1 in the secondary schools section.
The schools from Sibu are SJK Dung Sang, SJK Chung Sing, SJK Thian Chin, SJK Kiew Nang, SMK Sacred Heart, SMK Deshon, SMK Lanang, SMK Tung Hua, Catholic High School and SM Wong Nai Siong while those from Miri are SMK Chung Hua, Riam Road Secondary School and SMK St Columba.

A total of 55 events will be contested. The categories are boys and girls A (age 15 to 17), B (age 12 to 14), C (age 6 to 11) and Foundation (age 6 to 9) for changquan, nanquan, nandao, nangun, jianshu, qiangshu, daoshu, taijijian, taijiquan, team event and duilian.
The 21st Sarawak Wushu Championship is jointly organised by WFS and MSNS to identify and groom talents for Sukma XV in Pahang next year as well the 2014 and 2016 editions and the 2012 MSSM Wushu Championship.

Lee will open the event on Dec at 9am at the Kuching Civic Centre hall. Entrance is free.

500 exponents expected for meet

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:41:15 MYT

Published on: Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Kota Kinabalu: Five hundred taekwondo exponents are expected in the coming 5th President's Cup Taekwondo Championship which will take place at the Kota Kinabalu community hall from Dec 9-11.

United Sabah Taekwondo Association (Usta) Vice President Robert Kembey said the association is very optimistic that they will reach the figures based on overwhelming response received so far.

He said they have also invited teams from outside the State and so far they have received confirmation from Sarawak and Labuan that they are going to participate apart from the usual participation of local clubs and regional branches.

"As for teams from Brunei, we are yet to receive their reply but normally they will take part in the tournament."

Robert was talking to the media after a courtesy call with State coach Barry Voon to Usta's President Datuk David Chong Ket Sui in the State capital Tuesday.

He added that the competition also acts as a platform to evaluate the trainees that would be put under the Usta development programme for 2012 as well as assessment for the Sukma squad.

A total of 65 gold medals are up for grabs during the three days of competition and it will be divided into three age categories 10-13, 14-17 and 18 and above for both boys and girls.

The competition will open with the Poomsae event at 2pm to 9pm on the first day, followed by the second day of competition from 8am to 9pm, while the final day of competition will start from 8am-5pm.

Wushu bag golden treble at SEA Games

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:35:39 MYT

NEW STARS: Tai Cheau Xuen and Kevan Cheah celebrate their golden feat in the women’s and men’s nandao-nangun combined event at the 26th SEA Games in Jakarta on Nov 20. — Bernama photo

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on November 26, 2011, Saturday

Team surpassed their medal target set by the Wushu Federation of M’sia

KUCHING: Wushu has continued to live up to expectations at the 26th SEA Games by contributing three golds, three silvers and four bronzes to Malaysia’s total medal haul of 190 medals (59 golds, 50 silvers, 81 bronzes).

This achievement was better than the Laos SEA Games in 2009 where Malaysia captured three golds, one silver and three bronzes in the martial arts sport.
The Malaysian wushu team also surpassed their two-gold medal target set by the Wushu Federation of Malaysia at the games from in Indonesia from Nov 11-22.

While experienced exponents like Loh Jack Chang and Diana Bong from Sarawak failed to defend their taijiquan-taijijian and nandao-nangun titles, it was the rookies that saved the day for the national team.
Lee Yang rose to the occasion to capture the men’s taijiquan-taijijian gold while Jack Chang, who competed with a calf injury, managed a fourth placing, missing out the bronze by a mere 0.01 points.

Kevan Cheah emerged as the team’s best male exponent by bagging the gold in the men’s nandao-nangun and the bronze in the men’s nanquan.

The other gold was won by rising star Tai Cheau Xuen in the women’s nandao-nangun combined event while Diana Bong, who fumbled in the nanquan event, could only manage a bronze in the same category.
Tai also won the silver in the women’s nanquan.
The other two silvers came from Khoo Chee Zhong in the men’s nandao-nangun and Ng Shin Yii in the women’s taijiquan-taijijian.

Ong Shi Chuan (men’s daoshu-gunshu) and Pei Pin Tang (women’s sanshou) were the other two bronze medallists.

Wushu Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) secretary James Ting said yesterday that by comparison, Loh and Bong were more experienced and better in skill than Yeap and Tai.

Loh was the gold medallist in the taijiquan and taijijian combined in Laos while Bong was the gold medallist in taolu (nanquan and nandao combined).
Ting, also WFS chief coach and state development chairman, said committing errors was every exponent’s nightmare and they have proven to be very costly.
“In top level competitions such as SEA Games, Asia Wushu Championship and World Wushu Championship, there is no room for errors and the exponents score low points because points are deducted for errors during the routine,” he explained.

However, Ting believed that the exponents should be better prepared mentally as they will be under immense pressure to do well in the competitions.
“Win or lose, it is a lesson that every athlete need to learn. They also need to have more exposure to gain experience,” he added.

Taekwondo instructors take WTF’s Level I course

admin — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:32:09 MYT

TO GROOM TALENTS: Tan (fourth left, seated), Mohd Salleh (fifth left), Rajendran (fifth right) Solaimurugan (fourth right) posing with the participants during the opening ceremony.

Posted on November 26, 2011, Saturday

KUCHING: Thirty eight instructors/coaches from various affiliated clubs throughout Sarawak took part in the Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF) Taekwondo Specific Level I Certification Course at Jalan Satok, Kuching from Nov 21 to24.

The four-day course was jointly organised by the Persatuan Taekwondo Negeri Sarawak (WTF) and Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF).

PTNS president Mohd Salleh Sani declared opened the course at Satok Training Centre.

Also present at the ceremony were technical chairman Master Tan Check Joon and four senior taekwondo Master/Instructors and lecturers from Kuala Lumpur.
“Having this event is an essential aspect of building up the association and grooming talented instructors/coaches. It is important as it helps to upgrade their knowledge in the sport which will then be utilised to prepare our members in the future,” said Mohd Salleh.

During the course, the participants were briefed on the latest strategy, sparring, techniques on pattern and tactics to get points during competition as well as new competition rules, skills and physical training, management and sports science.
The course was conducted by senior taekwondo Masters/Instructors of Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF), Master Rajendran Mariappen from Australia (Black Belt 6th Dan), Master Moi Chee Keong, who is chairman of Taekwondo Malaysia Coaching Board (Black Belt 7th Dan), Solaimurugan Anandayah and Vivekanandan K. Ramiah of National Sports Council Malaysia from Kuala Lumpur.

Instructors/coaches who passed the examination in this course will be given Taekwondo Malaysia (WTF) Taekwondo Specific Level I Certificate.