M'sia can become powerhouse in sports
Published on: Sunday, December 19, 2004
Kuching: Malaysia once a respected country in various sports can once again regain its past glory, a former world martial art's champion said yesterday (Saturday)."We have many young, healthy and talented youths who have what it takes to become world champions," Menon Parir told Bernama today.He said in football, the country could beat South Korea, now a respected football team in Asia who qualified for the semi-finals of the last world cup, in the 1960s and 70s but not now.
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"We have the discipline like them, good training but not their zeal and will power? I was told almost all the Korean football players have some form of training in taekwondo or other martial arts to keep them fit," he said.Menon, a 5th dan black belt and former Tang Soo Do world champion had knocked out a respected Korean exponent to cling the 1990 World Indoor championship title in New York to make Malaysia proud. He said he was only a 3rd dan exponent then but possessed lightning speed which proved vital to beat the Korean."I was a kampung boy. I came from the Kelabit highlands but I was focused on my goal. This is the discipline I instill in my students. The may not be world class now but any student who can reach the international stage is considered very good," he said.
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