Full Team To Kick For Glory At ITF World Championships

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Finally, Malaysia is sending a full team comprising 10 exponents, to kick their way to glory at the 16th edition of the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Taekwondo Championships in Russia.

The event will be held in Saint-Petersburg, from Oct 12 to 17.

Malaysia's team manager Wan Koon Seng said in the previous editions, Malaysia usually sent two or three exponents to represent the country as the sport did not get sufficient funding for the overseas tournament.

"At the last edition in Slovania, the Malaysian International Taekwondo Federation decided that Malaysia send a full team to Russia, and we had to fork out the budget from the federation and individuals, with help from the Perak Government," he told reporters here.

Earlier, he had received the Jalur Gemilang from Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek at a function held at the ministry on Monday.

Wan said the team targeted two gold medals in Russia as Malaysia's exponents would face a daunting task when competing against tough opponents from 128 member countries of the ITF.

Two years ago in Sloavania, Malaysia's two exponents were stopped in the third round.

Wan said Malaysia would take part in four events -- pattern, sparring, power breaking and self-defence routines.

He said the team underwent three months of "tough training" in Ipoh as the majority of them came from Perak.

He said, since ITF was not part of the Olympic charter, there were limited resources to fund its activities.

"However, that's no reason to stop us from contributing something to the country," added Wan.

-- BERNAMA