Love inflames Endah, Iwan to fight for life

JAKARTA (JP): Karate is not merely about fighting. In certain cases, fighters find love in karate tournaments.

Women's kata karateka Endah Jubaedah of West Java met men's individual 60-kilogram kumite fighter Iwan Taher of North Sulawesi at the Kosgoro Cup karate tournament here in 1993. It turned out to be the most unusual and unforgettable experience for both of them.

"We used to meet in tournaments and we never had special feelings. But in 1993, everything was different. Five months after the tournament, we got married. I think we are a match for each other," said Endah, chuckling and glancing at husband Iwan Taher, who accompanied her during her interview with The Jakarta Post last week.

Endah said three months after their marriage on Nov. 10, 1995, they had to be separated due to the training programs for the 1996 National Games (PON) here.

Both Endah and Iwan are still unsure on their berths at the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15, as the Indonesian Karate Federation (Forki) will stage a selection process for kata events and review kumite karateka performances over the last year.

Endah, who was born on Nov. 8, 1971, in Bekasi, and Iwan, who was born in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Aug. 21, 1971, pledged to give their best if they are selected to represent the country.

Iwan, gold medalist in the Army Chief of Staff (Kasad) Cup last year, was a street fighter before the 10-year-old boy joined an Inkado karate club, which used the Gunung Wenang hospital complex in Manado as its training field.

"It's common for a boy to fight. Since I started learning karate, I realized that I could injure people. So, I only fight for tournaments, which give me money and fame. Now I can open a karate club in my house with my skill," said Iwan, who plans to retire if he wins a medal in the Games.

Forki has set a regulation limiting the upper age range of kumite and kata karateka for overseas tournaments. For men's kumite karateka, the age limit is 30 years old while for the women it is 28. For men's and women's kata, 35 is the upper limit.

Iwan said he hopes to get a job in Bekasi, as he plans to move from his hometown Manado.

"But I don't know if the West Java authority will treat me well. I heard many West Java karateka move to East Java for better lives. I don't want to move to West Java if the authorities neglect me," said Iwan, who is currently working at Indo Monex Bank here. He said he got a dispensation to pursue his sport.

Endah, the sixth finisher in the third World Ladies Cup tournament in Tokyo early this month, supported her husband's opinion, recalling her difficulty to get a permanent job.

"I had a three-year contract with the West Java authority but it was difficult to become a permanent employee. When I won the gold in the West Java Provincial Games (Porda), I got a reference letter from Pak Wiranto (Forki's chairman) to the West Java governor but there was no response," she said.

"Last year, I applied to the Bekasi Regency office and I was admitted there without any reference," she said.

As a karateka couple, both Endah and Iwan never use their skills during a disagreement.

"We usually are not speaking to each other. But after about 30 minutes I try to break down the coldness and start to talk to him," she said.

They both are teaching karate in their 150-square-meter house in Bekasi to some 40 children in their neighborhood twice a week.

"Most of them are children who live at the nearby Bekasi military district command housing complex. They are cute, and it's nice to see little kids practicing," said Endah.

As a young family, both Endah and Iwan are also hoping to get a baby soon. Unfortunately, Endah had a miscarriage last November.

"The baby only lived for two hours. My baby was upside-down in my womb. If God has mercy, I hope to have another after the Games," she sighed.

Only five months after the miscarriage, she an received invitation from the Indonesian Karate Federation to join the SEA Games training program, replacing Vera Simatupang, who was married this year. Endah contributed a silver in the women's individual kata in 19th SEA Games in 1997 here. (ivy)