Kicking along nicely
Dhanaraj optimistic taekwondo will deliver at KL SEA Games
SEREMBAN: Taekwondo Malaysia (TM) are hopeful of ending their SEA Games gold drought after a promising outing in the Asean Taekwondo Championships.
Malaysia bagged three golds, three silvers and 12 bronzes in the three-day championships, which ended in Kangar yesterday.
Two golds came from Kyorugi (sparring) through men’s featherweight exponent Rozaidi Rozali and Lian Pei Ying in the women’s finweight. The other gold came from Poomsae ( non- sparring) through mixed pair Yong Jin KunYap Khim Wen.
Jin Kun was also awarded the best exponent award for winning the gold and a silver in the men’s team event with Chew Wei Yan and Kok Jun Ee.
Jin Kun, Wei Yan and Jun Eee took the bronze in the Asian Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Manila last year and were expected to deliver the gold. But the Malaysians fell short, losing 2-3 to Vietnam in the final.
Despite falling one short of the targeted four golds, TM technical chairman R. Dhanaraj was pleased with the exponents’ efforts ahead of the Aug 19-31 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
“We had targeted four golds, but I’m not going to panic because it’s not easy to win gold in Poomsae.
“The two female exponents (Nur Dhia Liyana Shaharuddin in the flyweight and Nurul Farah Alisa Roslan in the featherweight) were expected to win gold but managed only bronzes.
“We still have time to prepare for the SEA Games so we will see how everything goes,” said Dhanaraj.
The national elite team were supposed to fly to South Korea for training next month but will instead travel to Atyrau for the Kazakhstan Open Taekwondo Championships from April 22-24.
“The Korean coach feels our exponents still need more exposure. So, we’ve changed our plans and will head to Kazakhstan.”
Malaysia last won a taekwondo gold at the SEA Games in 2009 in Laos.
Then, Chee Chew Chan emerged champion in the women’s below 80kg category.
We had targeted four golds, but I’m not going to panic because it’s not easy to win gold in Poomsae.
R. Dhanaraj