S’wak taekwondo team exceed expectations
BINTULU: Sarawak’s Poomsae taekwondo team defied expectations to win one silver and five bronze medals at the 15th Asean Taekwondo Championships in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam recently.
When contacted, head coach Pui Jak Joon said the state Poomsae team performed remarkably.
“Personally, for the team to win medals is beyond my expectations, but this is the result of their hard work.
“This is also contributed by the parents’ commitment, though in these two years of Covid-19 pandemic, they still send their children to train,” he said.
Zara Nur Zafirah Mohd Yusof and Fedealis Kom delivered the silver medal in the Cadet MixedPair event.
Emylda Bernadette Disen and Randy Owen Augustine Linggi combined to clinch a bronze medal in the Junior Mixed-Pair event.
Sarawak’s four other bronze medals came from seven Poomsae exponents from Bintulu Smart Taekwondo Club (WTF).
They were from Marylyne Bungan Liang and Steffano Atom Stephen (Senior MixedPair); Willemien Lai Lini (Junior Female Individual); Velson Ki Su Heng (Senior Male Individual Freestyle); as well as Austin Jason Pui, Phan Chen Huan, and Phan Chen Wei (Male Team Freestyle).
Pui also thanked Sarawak Taekwondo Association for the opportunity given to him to bring the Sarawak Taekwondo Poomsae team to gain valuable experience in the tournament.
“I also would like to extend my special thanks to Bintulu Vocational College director Jamali Mohamad for giving the opportunity to one of the athletes from the college, Velson Ki, to compete,” he said.
Velson’s participation in the tournament was sponsored by the college’s parent-teacher association (PTA).
“I hope this excellent performance will be able to uplift the fighting spirit among other junior taekwondo exponents to achieve greater success in the sport.
“Hopefully we will be able to produce more high-quality Poomsae athletes to represent the state and our country in other bigger tournaments in the future,” said Pui.
The 14-member team was led by Pui, Korean coach Taeyoung Yun, and assistant coach Virtlam Umpau.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Taekwondo Association president Azizul Annuar Adenan said the team will now join other athletes from the respective divisions for extra training to prepare for the Premier of Sarawak Borneo Cup International Taekwondo Championships scheduled for August.
This is also contributed by the parents’ commitment, though in these two years of Covid-19 pandemic, they still send their children to train.
Pui Jak Joon