The state exponents with (standing from left) Jeffrey Wee, Master Francis Ting, Gilbert Chin and ITF Sarawak Chief Instructor Master Johnny Chai.
KUCHING: Despite facing the Covid-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order, ITF Sarawak has overcome the odds to achieve a rare honour.
The state taekwondo team, represented by eight black-belt exponents, bagged four gold, one silver and three bronze medals to emerge champions in the ITF Online Corona Challenge held on June 14.
The gold medalists were Joane Lim from SMK Kuching Town, Joyce Li who is waiting for her Form Six results, Gan Kai Zhe of Chung Hua Middle School No. 3 and Donnie Low who is working with AirAsia.
Contributing the silver medal was Angeline Chai Shu Ping from SMK Batu Lintang while the bronze medalists were UCSI student Yap Yi Zi, Phoebe Wang and Tsi Shi Qi who is waiting for an offer from a public university.
A total of 79 exponents from all over Malaysia took part in the tournament organised by the International TaeKwon-Do Federation Malaysia (ITFM).
Johor and Kuala Lumpur finished second and third overall. The tournament was organised to encourage all members to be active despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
The International Federation (ITF) had taken this initiative to create the online platform for all the ITF affiliates around the world.
Participants sent their pattern performance videos to the ITFM tournament committee before it was uploaded into the ITF platform for judging.
Two ITF Sarawak International Class A umpires Jeffrey Wee (5th Dan) and Master Francis Ting (7th Dan) served as main umpires in the tournament.