Military training for tae kwon do team

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)