Forki Papua loads three gold karateka

The Papuan Karate Team is ready to perform at the XX National Sports Week (PON), 2-15 October 2021. One of the martial arts sports (sports) that has the potential to gain medals for the Papuan contingent is seen through the readiness of the highly progressive karateka.

Even though they have just lost one of their flagship karateka, the late Yolanda Asmuruf, who died in 2019, the Papua Karate team is still optimistic that they can present a medal at PON XX.

The Indonesian Karate-Do Sports Federation (FORKI) Papua under the leadership of Kristhin L. Mano prepared the best 17 karateka and participated in all competition numbers with a target of 3 gold medals.

"We have 17 athletes and we go down with a full team in XX PON for all kumite numbers," said the men's and women's teams. Our team has been undergoing TC in Depok, West Java for 9 months since last February. Of course with the training material during the TC, we are very optimistic and are targeting 3 gold from the original target of 2 gold, "said the Chief Executive of Forki Papua, Anthon Raharusun, when contacted by Jubi, recently.

Raharusun added that Forki is optimistic and believes he will be able to get more medals if he looks at the Karateka's readiness so far.

"From the technical point of view and our other readiness, we are very much ready to look at the XX PON," he said.

The head coach of Papua karate, Sensei Zakarias M. Sogorom, admitted that his team's performance was very significant, even though until the end of last year he assessed that his team's readiness had only reached 60 percent.

He did not want to be extravagant, only targeting 3 PON XX gold medals as targeted by Forki Papua.

"Our readiness is already 60 percent and at the beginning of 2021 we hope it can reach 80 percent to 100 percent. Our target is 3 gold medals, both in the kata team and the kumite. Everything we target in general, do not burden individually. We hope we can exceed the target, "said Sogorom.

The appearance of the Papuan karateka during the tournament on Java Island was very impressive. Their performance is consistent and they never fail to get a medal. This achievement is the capital and provision to gain medals at PON XX at home.

At the International Open Championship Mayor's Championship which was held in Surabaya, in July 2019, the Papuan karateka won 9 medals with 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals.

Most recently, Papuan karate ordained itself as the overall champion at the National Akmil Open Championship 2020, the Governor's Rotating Cup in Magelang last March. In this event, they collected 5 gold medals for the male and female team and individual kumite, as well as 6 bronze medals from the men's and women's individual kumite numbers.

Behind the impressive performance of the Papuan karate team, Anthon Raharusun revealed that his team is now being handled by international coaches.

Zakarias M. Sogorom has a classy track record. He is a former reliable karateka and has also coached the Indonesian karate national team at the 2013 Sea Games event. He was accompanied by Ronald Ajawaila.

Meanwhile, in the word number, the Papuan karate team is trained by one of the legends of Indonesian karate, Omita Olga Ompi. He is a 1989 Sea Games gold medalist in the individual word category. He has also been ranked IV in the world championship (WUKO).

At the APUKO (Asia Pacific Union of Karate-DO Organization) championship in Australia in 1989, Olga Ompi won a silver medal or second place. At the XIII ASEAN Games in Bangkok in 1998 Ompi won a silver medal for the individual female word number. Ompi has also coached the Indonesian karate national team.

Both are also assisted by a technical consultant, Muhammad Gusti, who is also a former national coach.

"They are all coaches of international standard. We are targeting 3 gold medals, although in the other classes we are optimistic that we can also get silver and bronze medals. We are very optimistic. All of our athletes come from Papua, we don't use athletes from outside, "said Raharusun.

Source: https://jubi.co.id/forki-papua-bebankan-karateka-tiga-emas/