FORKI to hire foreign coach for SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Karate Federation (FORKI) will hire a Japanese coach to train the national team in the run-up to the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

"FORKI has yet to decide which coach to hire. We will make the decision after our national team's training session in Japan in July," FORKI secretary-general Hendardji told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

"The coach will supervise our team's preparations as well as the athletes' performances in Kuala Lumpur in September where we are going for seven gold medals from the 19 kata (art) and kumite (fight) events being staged."

"The target is similar to the results of our last outing in the Brunei Darussalam 1999 SEA Games."

Hendardji said the women karatekas would participate in the Ladies Cup in Tokyo while the men karatekas would undergo training sessions with Japanese Karate Association (JKA) athletes.

"The national team will participate in an exhibition session at the Maesa Karate Open Tournament in Surabaya from April 12 to April 15 as part of their preparations," he said.

"The champions in each weight class in both the men's and women's division will challenge the national squad in order to avoid injuries."

The Maesa Open Karate Tournament is very important as it will use the new regulations, including the new scoring system which was used in the World Karate Championships in Germany last year. The new regulations will also be applied in Kuala Lumpur.

In the kumite events, the old scoring system used wazari (one point) and ippon (two points), with a cumulative six points winning the match.

Under the new scoring system, ippon is one point, nihon is two points and sanbon is three points, with a cumulative eight points winning the match.

The new regulations also change the color used by two facing opponents from red and white to red and blue.

In the kata events, two participants will perform side by side and will be judged by flags instead of points in the qualifying rounds. Points will be used in the semifinals and final only.

In addition, finalists must also perform bunkai (application of kata) in team events.

Contacted separately, FORKI's official in charge of athletes' development and SEA Games coach, Boy Crain, said the national squad had yet to familiarize themselves with the new system.

"We are still emphasizing their physical fitness. I hope we can start the techniques session next week," he said by telephone from Surabaya on Monday.

"But we have informed the karatekas about the new regulations which will affect strategy while on the mat. The new scoring system allows simultaneously attacks to be scored separately," he added.

Commenting on the target of seven gold medals, Boy said it was quite reasonable considering the team's current position.

"I believe it is reasonable, especially considering that Malaysia will have a try-out session in April while we will only be starting our techniques session," he said. (nvn)