Karim (third left) hands over the Sarawak Chief Minister Borneo Cup International (WTF) Championship grand overall champion trophy to Salleh while Azizul Annuar receives the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem challenge trophy from Ik Pahon (second right), with Then (left) and Tan looking on.
KUCHING: Over 500 exponents and 100 officials from 17 countries will be participating in the Sarawak Chief Minister Borneo Cup International Taekwondo (WTF) Championship at Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya from July 15-16.
The countries involved are Taiwan, Hong Kong China, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Australia, Brunei, the Philippines, India and host Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, Sarawak).
“Out of the total number of participants, 300 are from outside Malaysia and 13 categories will be held in the competition divided into poomsae (pattern) and sparring categories,” Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah told reporters in a press conference at Bangunan Baitulmakmur yesterday.
According to Karim, the state government welcomes the organising of such championship as it would not only help to promote sports tourism in Sarawak but also to further promote the sport to the world.
“I am confident that this championship will further promote sports tourism in Sarawak. We are trying to bring in as many international sporting events as possible to the state,” he added.
“The welcoming dinner for this championship will be held at Hotel Margherita on July 14 and Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg will be attending.”
Karim also commended the Persatuan Taekwondo Negeri Sarawak (WTF) for making taekwondo as one of the top sports in the state and having emerged the overall champions in Sukma XVIII held here last year.
Also present were permanent secretary to the ministry Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, Persatuan Taekwondo Negeri Sarawak (WTF) president Mohamad Salleh Sani, deputy president cum organising chairman Azizul Annuar Adenan, vice president Then Yit Fui and state technical chairman Tan Check Joon.