Coach upbeat Indonesia karatekas will win gold

JAKARTA (JP): Japanese coach Masao Kagawa expressed optimism that the Indonesian team would be able to bring home gold medals in the Asian Union Karate Organization (AUKO) championships in Singapore next week.

Kagawa said while witnessing Indonesian karatekas practice at the Cemara Hijau complex in Medan, North Sumatra on Friday that Indonesia had a good chance to win two gold medals either in kata or kumite in the event from Dec. 1 to Dec. 3.

"For the Asian level, Indonesia must be aware of their rivals from Japan and Iran," Kagawa, who is the Japanese national team coach, was quoted as saying by Antara.

Kagawa, who won the 1990 Shotokan world championships, said all karatekas had the same basic technical skills but the difference was only in their competitiveness of spirit.

Kagawa, who will accompany the karatekas to the championships, said he tried hard to boost athletes' motivation and self- confidence to avoid the fear of losing before fighting in the arena.

Team manager Rahmat Shah said eight male and four female karatekas would fly from Medan on Nov. 28. The athletes are Arief Taufan, Sonny Simangasing, Umar Syarief, Novilus Yoku, Aswan Ali, Elias Tande, Wahyu Widayat and Hasan Basri on the men's side and Sandra Aryani, Merani Mega, Fitria Mega and Tri Murti on the women's side. (yan)