‘SECRET’ OF THEIR SUCCESS

Kata exponents Celine, Chee Wei point to their coaches

JUGJET SINGH jug jet@nst.com.my

THE Malaysian karate exponents were almost flawless in their routines to hand the nation three gold and one silver at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.

Celine Lee Xin Yi beat Indonesia’s Sisilia Agustiani 5-0 in the women’s individual kata while men’s exponent Lim Chee Wei scored a 3-2 win over Indonesia’s Ahmad Zigi Zaresta in the final.

The kumite athletes also gave a solid fight as S. Senthil Kumaran fought from behind to beat Filipina Jayson Ramil Macaalay 5-3 for the gold in the under- 60kg.

Malaysia’s Pressy

Thuzar settled for silver when he lost to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Hong 5-3 in the above 68kg kumite.

Both the kata exponents shared the ‘secret’ to their victories by introducing their coaches.

Take a bow to kata maestros Lim Lee Lee and Ku Jin Keat, who had won many accolades for Malaysia as athletes, and are still delivering gold to the nation as coaches.

“I was seven when I started training under both the coaches, and it is really a good feeling to win my first Sea Games gold medal. I was never nervous and went in full of confident, as I was performing at home infront of my own supporters,” said Celine with a smile which exposed her dimples.

But she barely smiled when performing, and was in combat mood when she executed her dance routine.

Chee Wei is also a student of Lee Lee and Jin Keat.

“I started training under them when I was nine. They are very encouraging and when I was performing today, I had both of them in mind. This gold actually belongs to my coaches,” said Chee Wei.

Chee Wei was just being modest, as at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games — he had delivered the kata individual gold.

Both the athletes will have another shot at gold when they compete in the men’s and women’s team kata tomorrow.