Double trouble

Wei Yan gets help from two Korean coaches for Asiad assault

KUALA LUMPUR: National taekwondo exponent Chew Wei Yan (pic) is ready to excel in the Asian Games with the guidance of two-time world champion Park Kwang-ho of South Korea.

The Korean, who won the poomsae individual gold at the World Championships in Mexico in 2014 and Peru in 2016, arrived here on Monday to help polish Wei Yan’s moves for Asiad.

Kwang-ho is the second Korean to help Wei Yan in preparation for the Games.

The Malaysian has been training under South Korean coach Jin Jun-beom for the last five months and Wei Yan defied the odds to win gold in the men’s poomsae individual event at the Jeju Korea Open International Championships in Jeju Island last week.

The 26-year-old from Selangor said this is the best-ever preparation he had for a competition.

“Under the guidance of coach Jun-beom, I was surprised to win the gold in the Korea Open. It was best-ever achievement of my career in a overseas competition,” said Chew Yan.

“I am honoured to train by Kwang-ho. With his guidance I am optimistic that I will be able to excel in the Asian Games to win Malaysia’s first-ever medal in poomsae.

“Kwang-ho is an expert in the poomsae event and I hope to learn and master all the skills from him to give my best performance in the Games,” said Wei Yan, the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games individual gold medallist.

The poomsae event will be held for the first time in the Asian Games, which offers four gold in the men’s and women’s individual and team events.

Wei Yan added that he trains six hours a day to perfect the movements for offensive and defence techniques.

“I have undergone intensive training for the last five months and with the help of the two Korean experts, it will boost my confidence of scoring good points in the competition in the Games,” said Wei Yan