PREPARING FOR COMPETITION: File photo of state’s judo players practising shoulder throws at the Judo association’s dojo at Jalan Pending in Kuching before going for thev national championship last week.
National tourney a learning curve for state players
KUCHING: The state team came back with only one silver from the National Judo Championship held in Penang over the weekend but team coach Anderson Venus is happy with team’s performance because almost all of the players were competing in the senior level competition for the time.
The silver was won by 18 -year- old Andrew Sia in the above 100kg category who was the only player with any experience competing in the national championship.
Persatuan Judo Sarawak sent a 10-member team to the championship mainly to expose the players to high level competition to prepare them for the Sukma games as except for Maxilmillian Law who also competed in the above 100 category all of the players are eligible for the next Sukma.
Anderson said Law the main hope for a gold in the championship but he injured his shoulder in the first bout and had to retire.
On the performance of the rest of the team Anderson said most of them lacked of experience at senior level competition as the bouts it was boys against men.
“Our players are young and competiing in the national championship for the first. Although we only won one silver it was a very good experience for them especially in their preparation for the next Sukma,” he said.
However, several of them showed potential to progress far especially at Sukma level and the coach singled out 15-year-old Chua Zhi Li who fought in the 73kg category as the one to watch at junior level tournaments.
Chua reached the quarter finals of the championship showing maturity beyond his young age in his bouts against much older players.
Anderson added it was also a good chance for him to spot the weaknesses and strength of the players when competing in major tournaments.
He explained that the state did not send any women players because at the moment the women players in the state who were all very young were not ready for the national championship.
At the moment the state is focussing on kata competition for the girls in the next Sukma he added.
On the programme of the state’s Judo association, Anderson said the immediate focus was on the next Sukma next year but in the long run the association must popularise the sport in the state especially in schools to increase the talent pool for the state team.