GTF to Hold Taekwondo Clinic

By Andrew Nortey

The Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) has announced the arrival of personnel from the world Taekwondo Peace Corps (TPC) in Korea for special juvenile taekwondo clinics to be held in Accra.

The practitioners - four in number - are made up of three players and an interpreter, arrived in the country on January 8 and will spend 39 days in the country.

They are Huein Lee (interpreter), Wookyoung Hur, Chan Woo Park and Seonghyo Joo.

Mr. Frederick Lartey Otu, President of the GTF, who announced the event, said the capital has been segmented into three zones with Dansoman, Adenta and Spintex Road areas identified as the meeting points for the respective zones.

At the three centres, selected school children will gather for the clinic and will be taken through Sparring, Pumse and Demonstration sessions.

According to the GTF boss, the event forms part of programmes of the Federation geared at developing taekwondo with a special focus on the youth.

"We are working with a number of our coaches, trying to reach out to a number of private schools to teach them taekwondo. We have a policy to identify them at very tender ages and train them to become very good athletes."

Mr. Otu said all three practitioners are specialists in the three areas the kids will be taught, adding that, it marks an improvement upon previous editions.

And unlike previous editions where some of the sessions were held outside the capital, this year's event will be held only in Accra with the aim of having a large number of children in attendance.

Already, he assured that the response from the schools contacted have been positive and was optimistic it would be a huge success.

Mr. Paul Atchoe, First Vice President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) commended the GTF for its creativity and vision, saying, the GOC was ready to support Federations that come up with decent ideas on developing their sports.

He said taekwondo has seen a mammoth improvement under the current administration but urged them not to rest on their oars until they produce an Olympic, world or Commonwealth champion.

Also in attendance at the short media briefing were the GOC Youth Coordinator, Ola Williams, Charles Osei Asibey, President of the Ghana Arm wrestling Federation and other members from the taekwondo fraternity.

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