Military training for tae kwon do team
JAKARTA (JP): The national tae kwon doins being groomed for the Kuala Lumpur 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games are to have their discipline and fighting spirit boosted in a two-week military-style training stint.
Secretary-general of the Tae Kwon Do Association (TI) Adrian Lumowa, was quick to add that the training, which would be conducted in a Marine facility, would not be strenuous.
"We will not give them too much physical training although the camp is in a military facility. It is designed to improve their discipline and boost their spirit," he said on Wednesday.
"The training camp is important to keep their spirit up while awaiting the event. We want them to remain in top shape."
Adrian said maintaining the fighting spirit after a long period of preparation was vital.
"In some cases, the fighters lose their motivation after a long training period because they had to wait too long for the competition. This was what happened to Juana Wangsa Putri who waited for two weeks during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games before her match," he said.
TI's chairman Suharto has already arranged the venue of the training program with Marine Commander Maj.Gen. Harry Triyono.
"I hope the training will start soon," said Adrian.
Suharto is a Marine lieutenant general and former commander of the Indonesian Navy's Marine Corps.
Adrian said TI targeted four out of 16 gold medals on offer in the tae kwon do event in Kuala Lumpur.
The national men's team comprise Ino Sensius Boro (53 kilogram finweight), Satrio Rahadani (58kg flyweight), Derry Darmansyah (62kg bantamweight), Charles Assa (67kg featherweight), Basuki Nugroho (72kg lightweight), Bayu Firmansyah (77kg welterweight), Rosandi (84kg middleweight), and Karune (+84kg heavyweight).
The selected women's tae kwon doins are Ika Dian Fitria (47kg finweight), Juana Wangsa Putri (51kg flyweight), Rahadewi Neta (55kg bantamweight), Voppy Trismawanty (59kg featherweight), Onyas Nurmala (63kg lightweight), Amalia Kurnia Palupi (67kg welterweight), Emerald Margareth Dien (72kg middleweight) and Ertina Nopiyanti (+72kg heavyweight).
"Considering the current tight rivalry in the region, even winning four gold medals is not that easy. The participating countries are evenly balanced," he said.
He hoped the national team would reach the finals in at least four events of each gender category.
"Sports officials, such as those from the National Sports Council (KONI), have always asked us to reveal our medal winning athletes, but it is our policy not to make it public," Adrian added.
He also said the fighters had been selected not only due to their skills and achievements, but their fighting spirit and aggressiveness.
"When a match ends in a draw, the judges will decide the winner based on his or her fighting spirit and aggressiveness. In such a case, a defensive fighter could lose to an offensive opponent, despite the former's superior skills," he said. (nvn)