Top karatekas eye confidence boost at C’ship
The Jakarta Post | Sports | Fri, July 15 2011, 10:04 PM
JAKARTA: Dozens of Indonesia’s most talented karatekas are hoping to boost their confidence ahead of November’s 26th SEA Games by competing in the prestigious Asian Karatedo Federation (AKF) Senior championship in Quanzhou, China, from July 21-24.
National karate coach Omita Olga Lumpi said on Wednesday that the squad was targeting to win two bronze medals and a silver at the championship to fuel the fighters’ confidence for the SEA Games in Jakarta and Palembang.
The last time Indonesia won a gold medal at the AKF senior championship was in 2004, with Jenny Zeanete, Umar Syarief and Telly Melinda triumphing.
Twenty-three senior karatekas — nine junior and five cadets — will compete at the 10th AKF Senior and 11th AKF Junior and Cadet championship in Quangzhou on Monday next week. Junior karateka Muhammad Zaki Firdaus, who is one of this year’s participants, brought home a gold medal from last year’s AKF Junior championship in Hong Kong.
