Lalitpur, August 5

The World Taekwondo opened the Regional Training Centre here today with an aim of uplifting the standard of Nepali taekwondo.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue and Member Secretary of National Sports Council Ramesh Silwal inaugurated the centre at the Nepal Taekwondo Academy in Satdobato.

The Nepal Taekwondo Academy is the 12th Regional Training Centre under the World Taekwondo.

“The Regional Training Centre is very important for the development of taekwondo and this is really a great moment for Nepali taekwondo,” said Choue.

“Taekwondo players need more experience and exposure and they need to stay focused to develop their skills. With Olympic Games and Paralympic Games coming up, the centre will help the players enhance their game,” he added.

The World Taekwondo opened the regional training centre in Beijing in 2008 and added two more in Shenzen and Wuxi. The world governing body also owns the WT-recognised facilities in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Germany, United Kingdom, South Korea, Croatia and Italy. “These training centres help the players in improving their standard.

We started this in 2008 and we already have training centres in different countries.

The organised training has helps us in taking up the level,” he added.

WT President Choue praised the NTA facilities.

“The facilities here are good, even better than some of the countries. It’s all about the use of the facilities that carry more importance. In UK, the standard of taekwondo went drastically up after opening the regional training centre and today they never miss gold medal in Olympic Games and World Championships.

I know there are lots of talented players in Nepal and if they work hard, there is a great possibility for future,” Choue said.

Choue said the Nepal Taekwondo Association would be responsible for running the regional training centre. “You can invite athletes and coaches from other countries for training and the NTA can also organise goodwill matches among the players of neighbouring countries like India, Bhutan and Bangladesh,” said Choue. “The World Taekwondo will use the facility to organise educational programmes and we will support the NTA by providing them with training materials, coaches and instructors,” he added.

NSC Member Secretary Silwal lauded the efforts of WT in the development of taekwondo in Nepal. “We are grateful to the WT for their support towards Nepali taekwondo,” said Silwal. “We used to be the taekwondo powerhouse in the past and we are really working hard to regain the status. With the help and support of WT, we are looking forward to excel in South Asia and beyond,” added Silwal.

NTA President Prakash Shumsher Rana thanked the WT for its generous support.

“We are really grateful to the world governing body for the help in our bid to improve the standard of the sport,” said Rana.