Bahrain martial arts squad to vie for glory

THE Bahrain national Hoi Jeon Moo Sool team will vie for glory at the World Championship which takes place today in Cancun, Mexico.

A total of 12 countries - South Korea, US, Finland, Spain, Oman, Canada, Brazil, the UAE, France, Croatia, Mexico and Bahrain are in the fray for this one-day event.

The 20-member team underwent the weighing-in procedures yesterday and are ready to compete with top martial arts players from across the world.

Mohammed Bakhsh, Ammar Rafei, Mahdi Farhadi and Mahmood Al Shuala will take part in the first dan black belt competition, while Ahmed Janahi, Mohammed Isa, Mohammed Habib and Mohammed Al Bastaki are in the fray for the second and third dan contest.

Rafei, Al Shuala, Habib, Salah Al Kharraz and Faisal Taqi will participate in the free style competition.

In the sword demonstration event, Al Shuala, Habib, Al Kharraz, Taqi and Hamad Al Bastiki will be in the fray, while Taqi will take part in the stick demonstration contest.

Seven team members - Jamal Al Khaldi, Al Shuala, Mohammed Farooq, Mohammed Isa, Hussain Ahmed, Al Kharraz and Taqi will participate in the self defence contest.

The final competition will be the special kicks in which 10 players will be taking part. They are Rafei, Al Shuala, Habib, Al Kharraz, Taqi, Bakhsh, Mohammed Merza, Jamal Al Mutawa, Janahi and Isa.

The Bahraini team started their preparations two months ago at the Hoi Jeon Moo Sool Gym located on Budaiya highway next Bahrain International Hospital under their eighth Dan black belt Korean coach Kang Kio Sig.

The delegation is headed by team manager Yousef Al Taho and includes coach Sig, administrator Sanad Al Mutawa and physiotherapist King Huan Yang.

Vol XXVII NO. 246 Sunday 21November 2004

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