KUCHING: The Sarawak karate team who competed in an international competition in their tour of Tehran, Iran from July 20 to Aug 1 did not return home empty-handed as they managed to pick up two medals a silver and a bronze. Two of their three athletes who went such as Chang Sxe Poh and Michael Owen Haring were the medal winners while another athlete Vincent Garfelo Desin missed out on the podium.
Chang Sze Poh won a silver in the individual kumite in the 75 kg while Michael Owen bagged the bronze in the 84 kg kumite. Assistant coach Clarence Leong Chen Choong who accompanied the team led by chief coach Yousef Ataei Khanghah said the trip was a satifactory one as they sent three athletes and returned home with two medals.
“Our athletes were able to beat some of the regular athletes from the other countries which is a indeed an achievement of sorts by our athletes as it was our first experience competing at the international level in a foreign country. Leong who is also the team manager said those athletes who went there were also very happy as they had the opportunity of getting three days of intensive training together with the Iranian backup national team at the national camp in Tehran before the competition.
