Viva receives timely boost

31/05/2003

VIVA Taekwondo Centre received a timely boost from Lotto on Thursday in
preparation for a good showing in the 23rd MTA-Milo-Magnum National
Taekwondo Junior Championships at the KLBA Hall in Cheras this weekend.
Sportzone Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer and president Datuk Sri Ram
Sarma handed sports attire to 18 members of the centre in Petaling Jaya on
Thursday.
"Lotto is proud to be associated with taekwondo as it is a very healthy
sport which produces all-round athletes and builds character," said Sri
Ram.
Viva, run by 1988 Seoul Olympics bronze medallist M. Vasugi, has many
potential medallists but the two who are knocking on the doors of glory
are Jonathan Fernandez and Noornadia Norrizan.
Noornadia did well to win a bronze in the Australian Youth Olympics and
a silver in the Dutch Open and is tipped to win the lightweight title in
the junior championships.
Malaysian Taekwondo Association (MTA) junior development programme
coordinator K.M. Rajendran paid tribute to clubs like Viva, who have been
producing national material over the years.
"MTA is very proud to be associated with clubs like Viva which have been
working on overdrive to nurture national exponents.
"As for the junior meet, initially, the plan was to select exponents for
the Asian Junior Taekwondo Championships in Vietnam but the meet has since
been postponed because of SARS.
"But still, we will be on the lookout for exponents as MTA will be
reviewing its training squad and new exponents who do well in the National
Junior Championships will be included," said Rajendran.
The MTA will go ahead with its centralised training on Monday and
Tuesday and selected exponents will also be sent to the Korean Open in
July.
The Korean Open will be held on July 16-21 but only a handful of
exponents are expected to be sent to the competition, based on their
performances in the National Juniors.
(END)