The Star on the 29th National Senior Karate Championships

The Star 18 August 2009

Vasantha downs Maalini to earn shot at third Asian title

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Karate mum Vasantha Marial has won a place in the Malaysian squad for the Asian Championships in China next month after a successful campaign in the national championships held over the last weekend.

In the competition in Ayer Keroh, the mother of a six-month-old girl regained the kumite below 50kg title by beating fellow Hayashi Ha exponent C. Maalini 4-1 in the final.

The victory over the younger Maalini, who is the Asian junior champion, was satisfying indeed for Vasantha, who only resumed training four months ago. Vasantha got married in March last year and stopped training after she got pregnant.

The 30-year-old exponent is now looking forward to making a strong bid to win a third successive gold in the Asian championships.

She made a successful comeback from knee surgery to win the title in 2005 and retained it two years later.

“I am happy to earn another shot at winning the Asian championship below 50kg kumite title,” said Vasantha, who missed last year’s national cham­­­pionships because of the pregnancy.

“By winning my seventh national title, I have proved that I can still contribute to the squad. This was only my second competition after the KOI World Cup in Kuching last month (where she won silver). I’m more satisfied as I think I fought better in the national championships.”

Elsewhere, there were no surprises with the elite national fighters dominating in their respective weight categories.

Hayashi Ha finished top in the overall standings with a medal haul of 9-1-6 while Penang’s Goshin Ryu rode on the strength of their national kata exponents for second place on 4-1-0.

RESULTS

■ MEN’S KATA

Individual: 1. Tan Chee Sheng (Goshin Ryu), 2. Lim Chee Wei (Pen), 3. Khor Kah Tong (Pen); Emmanuel Leong (Prk).

Team: 1. Goshin-Ryu, 2. Penang, 3. Sabah; Police.

■ MEN’S KUMITE

Below 55kg: 1. K. Kannan (Hayashi Ha), 2. G. Rajendrakumar (Hayashi Ha), 3. Loganeshaa Rao (Sel); Wong Yoon Chin (Joh).

Below 60g: 1. Chan Keng Ann (Joh), 2. Mahfudz Azeem (Sab), 3. L. Kunasilan (Prk); Mohd Suffree (Kel).

Below 67kg: 1. Lim Yoke Wai (Joh), 2. Mohd Red­zuan, 3. Shaharudin Jamaludin (Hayashi Ha); Uriel Franch (Joh).

Below 75kg: 1. G. Nagatheeban (Hayashi Ha), 2. Dann­y Fredoline (Sab), 3. K. Tegaran (Hayashi Ha); Harry Lukas (Pol).

Below 84kg: 1. Mohd Hatta (Prk), 2. K. Logendran (Joh), 3. P. Gunasegar (Prk); K. Jayaseelan (Hayashi Ha).

Above 84kg: 1. The Chin Keong (Pen), 2. Lok Chee Meng (Shorin Ryu), 3. S. Inthiran (Kul); S. Mano (Sel).

Open: 1. L. Kunaseelan (Prk), 2. Chen Wei Han (Pen), 3. The Chin Keong (Pen); Shaharudin Jamaludin (Hayashi Ha).

Team: 1. Johor, 2. Hayashi Ha, 3. Sabah; Selangor.

■ WOMEN’S KATA

Individual: 1. Lim Lee Lee (Goshin Ryu), 2. Thoe Ai Poh (Goshin Ryu), 3. Chong Chew Teng (Pen); Quah Beng Huai (Pen).

Team: 1. Goshin Ryu, 2. Penang.

■ WOMEN’S KUMITE

Below 45kg: 1. Eleena Anis (Hayashi Ha), 2. A. Nisha (Hayashi Ha), 3. G. Yugneswary (Hayashi Ha); Jalma Annas (Mal).

Below 50kg: 1. Vasantha Marial (Hayashi Ha), 2. C. Maalini (Hayashi Ha), 3. Darnizan (Kel); V. Renugha (Sel).

Below 55kg: 1. G. Vathana (Hayashi Ha), 2. M. Yokananthini (Hayashi Ha) 3. Anitha (Sel); Tong Yan Ting (Mal).

Below 61kg: 1. G. Yamini (Hayashi Ha), 2. K. Jayanthi (Hayashi Ha), 3. Rina Murniza (Pol); Zuraini Omar (Pol).

Below 68kg: 1. Jamaliah Jamaludin (Hayashi Ha), 2. Om Thilagavathy (Sel), 3. Lisani Adzahari (Sab); N. Shanti (Hayashi Ha).

Above 68kg: 1. Looi Lai Yan (Hayashi Ha), 2. Lee Chong Hong (Pen), 3. Rozira (Mal); Ong Gui Ying (Mal).

Open: 1. A. Nisha (Hayashi Ha), 2. G. Yugneswary (Hayashi Ha), 3. Eleena Anis (Pen); Zuraini (Pol).

Team: 1. Hayashi Ha, 2. Police, 3. Malacca; Selangor.

29th National Senior Karate Championships

Ayer Keroh, Melaka

13th to 16th August 2009

We sent a squad comprising 6 athletes and 3 officials to this championship.

Many of the competitors were from the national and national backup squads.

We participated in both kata and kumite events winning 2 Bronze in the following evemts.

1. Individual Kumite, Female -50kg, Darnizan bte Darmanto

2. Individual Kumite, Male -60kg, Mohd. Suffree bin Mohd. Ali

Overall, our participation in this championship and the last Junior championship have been a good experience and provided valuable exposure to the athletes, the majority of whom are the SUKMA shadow team in contention for places in the Karate team for the SUKMA 2010.

We hope to send our athletes for more competitions in the lead up towards SUKMA for further exposure as well as to build up the next generation of athletes in the younger age groups.

GO! GO! GOSHIN!

Trickling into Melaka

After a long day including a 2-hour delay at the airport this morning for the first group, we are starting to trickle into Melaka.

The first group has arrived and checked into the hotel with team 2 on their way.

Team 3 will arrive tomorrow night.

Whew!

Team 1 is hungry and hopefully team 2 will arrive soon for communal dinner. Now to rest and do light training tomorrow and maybe get in some sight-seeing.

29th MAKAF Seniors National Karate Championship

It's confirmed; we'll be sending a team to this championship to be held in Melaka from 13th to 16th August.

Due to the current status of Sarawak not being a MAKAF member and the Goshin-Ryu Federation slots being taken up already, we are in an interesting situation.

It is funny but sad at the same time (at least we'll be able to compete):- We are flying the flag of Kelantan state!

Any one from Kelantan want to help us out with finances for this trip?

If you want to help, please email us at goshinmiri@gmail.com or call me, Steven at 016 879 1969. Official receipts will be issued to assist in your tax claims.

The Star on the 19th National Junior & Cadet Karate Championship 2009

Karate coach aims to groom younger back-up squad for world Juniors

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will be hosting the world junior karate championships in Kuala Lumpur in 2011 and the national junior championships held in Putrajaya over the weekend have given chief coach P. Arivalagan an inkling of what needs to be done to form a creditable squad for the challenges.

And Arivalagan has plans to groom a younger back-up squad.

“We already have the elite and elite back-up squads. But the world junior championships also have competitions at the cadet level — from Under-13 to Under-15,” he said.

“These are the age-groups where we have to start preparing a team from now if we want to do well in two years’ time. Moreover, the elite back-up exponents will by then not be eligible to compete in the World Juniors.”

The plan will be submitted to the National Sports Council (NSC) for approval as part of the development programme.

Arivalagan added some of the young exponents showed good potential in the just concluded national junior championships.

In the two-day championships involving 395 exponents, Hayashi Ha emerged as the overall champions with a medal haul of 7-3-5 ahead of Penang (6-6-7) and Johor (4-3-8).

19th National Junior & Cadet Karate Championship 2009

The Venue - Dewan Kejiranan, Precinct 11, Putrajaya

(It was so out of the way, the taxi drivers even got lost!)

We have returned from the 19th National Junior & Cadet Karate Championships which were held at Putrajya from 11th to 12th July 2009.

Goshin-Ryu Sarawak Contingent with Soke & Mrs. Clement Soo

(The camera with which this picture was taken - let's just say, I'm not happy with it; optics is nice but speed is so slow. That's why composition is poor.)

Our contingent was entered representing the Goshin-Ryu Federation competing in 6 categories i.e. Individual Kata Male Cadet (14 / 15 years) & Female Junior (16 /17 years); Individual Kumite Male Children (12 / 13 years), Male Under-21 (+78kg), Female Junior (-48kg & -53kg) from all the available categories.

We have had a tight schedule and the time & distance involved in travel to and from the competition venue (we stayed in KL and commuted to Putrajaya, not to mention the flight from Miri itself). Moving a dozen kids and officials all over the place is no easy task and an adventure in itself. Kudos to our team manager for the planning and execution.

At the Kommuter waiting for our train back to the city after Day 1

Despite these additional challenges, we are very,very pleased with the outcome.

1. We managed to expose our atheletes to a national level competition and gauge their standing;

2. We managed to secure 3 placings (5 bronze medalists) out of the 6 events we competed in.

The medallists and their respective events are:

1. Individual Kata Male Cadet (14 / 15 years)

Al-Hasbi Al-Harir

Awangku Mohd. Fauzi Awangku Tengah

2. Individual Kata Female Junior (16 / 17 years)

Nur Nadirah Abdul Ghani

Dayangku Nurdiyana Awangku Tengah

3. Individual Kumite Female Junior (-53kg)

Nur Nadirah Abdul Ghani

Congratulations to all our atheletes for their hard work. Now they can rest, at least for the next few days...then it's back to training. (Coach has an evil grin on his face.)

Closing Ceremony - Gathering of Participants

We look forward to sending atheletes to the 29th National Senior Karate Championships to be held in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, 13th to 16th August 2009 for further exposure and assessment in preparation for SUKMA 2010.

We are looking for supporters and contributors especially from the financial side to help us out with the preparations for the 29th Senior Nationals and further on. Please email me at goshinmiri@gmail.com if you wish to help advance the future of Sarawak Karate. Thanks.