Raising an Olympian - DIANA LOPEZ

Taekwondo Returns To BJSS

TAEKWONDO, after a four-year lapse, is back in the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS).

The newly registered national body Taekwondo Malaysia (TM) has convinced the Education Ministry to accept seven juniors — three girls and four boys — to be based at BJSS for a intensive training programme.

The girls are T. Thavakumarisha, Jasmin Nabila Sukardi and M. Mohana while the boys are Martyn Foo Yong Whey, Muhammad Alif Mohd Rosli, Muhammad Danial Mohd Mohd Azri and A. Navin. Except for Thava­kumarisha, Martyn and Muhammad Daniel, who are in Form Four, the others are Form Three students.

All seven were selected based on their performance in the National Junior championships in Kuala Lumpur last year

The chosen ones: The seven taekwondo exponents in BJSS.

 

BJSS vice-principal Suhaimi Sun Abdullah said there had been no intake of taekwondo exponents since 2008.

“Taekwondo was part of a crisis. But the principal officials from the newly registered TM have initiated a training programme for juniors.

“They identified the seven and we are pleased to accept them. They have been briefed on the rules and regulations in BJSS.

“We hope to see them progress in their taekwondo career as well as studies,’’ said Suhaimi.

Former international S. Saravanan is currently in charge of the training programme. Saravanan said he has yet to be appointed as the coach.

“But I am helping the exponents until TM appoints a coach. We have drawn up a five-day-a-week training programme. The programme is going on without any hitches. The exponents are also comfortable with the training programme,’’ said Saravanan.

Laying it out: Suhaimi (left) explaining the rules and regulations in BJSS to the taekwondo exponents.

 The morning sessions are from 6.30am to 8.30am while the evening sessions are from 4.30am to 6.30pm. There are also weekly fitness and gym exercises.

Mohana, a gold medallist in the welterweight category in last year’s National Junior championships, is from Kuala Lumpur. She has been active in taekwondo since her primary school days.

The 15-year-old Mohana said she was enjoying being part of BJSS.

“The teachers are very helpful. We also have night classes. We have gotten used to the programme in BJSS,’’ said Mohana.

Thavakumarisha, 16, who was a bronze medallist in the middleweight category in the National Junior championships, is from Kuala Lumpur. However she is expected to represent Terengganu in this year’s Malaysia Games in Kuantan, Pahang.

She has just returned from a training camp in Terengganu and says training with the BJSS junior programme is an excellent platform to improve her skills.

Kuala Lumpur’s Martyn, 16, has been appointed as the captain of the BJSS taekwondo team.

A second dan black belt holder, Martyn won the gold medal in the flyweight category in the National Junior championships.

“The training is systematic. We are going through the programme without any problem,’’ said Martyn.

However, TM has yet to identify the competitions for them. But Saravanan said there are two major international junior competitions this year.

“They are the Asian Juniors and World Juniors. There are also other local competitions. They will have to take part in competitions,’’ he added.

Injury Scuppers Elaine’s Olympic Dreams And May Force Her To Retire

PETALING JAYA: This is definitely not a very happy new year for taekwondo exponent Elaine Teo.

The 30-year-old former Asian Games bronze medallist may be forced into premature retirement due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee.

Elaine tore her ACL while competing at the Asian taekwondo qualifiers for the London Olympics in Bangkok last month and is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday.

The surgery will surely end her hopes of competing at the London Olympics in August as she will need to go through a long rehabilitation period.

Bad luck: Elaine Teo (right) injured her knee while competing in the Asian taekwondo qualifiers for the London Olympics in Bangkok last month.

She is the most experienced member of the national taekwondo team, having represented the country since 1999.

Elaine, who made her SEA Games debut with a gold in Brunei that year, was disappointed to bow out this way.

“I’ve had the injury for some time now and Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz (chief executive officer of the National Sports Institute) advised me to go for surgery earlier so that I can continue fighting,” said Elaine.

“But I put off the surgery as I wanted to try and qualify for the London Olympics.

“I only managed to finish fourth but the worst part was that I tore my meniscus and ACL.

“I will have to go for surgery and I will need about six to seven months of rehabilitation.

“There’s no way I can go to the Olympics. I will probably have to quit as well ... unless there is someone coming up in my weight division for the next SEA Games,” added Elaine, who represented the country at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

She also holds the distinction of being the only taekwondo exponent to have won the National Sportswoman Award in 2004.

Asked about her plans, Elaine, who competes in bantamweight category, revealed that she was keen to go into coaching “provided there is a place for me in the national set-up”.

“I love taekwondo and I hope to share my experience and knowledge gained over the years,” she said.

Elaine skipped the recent Indonesia SEA Games to prepare for the Asian qualifiers in Bangkok, where she missed out on a place for the London Olympics after finishing fourth.

Only the top three finishers made the cut.