WITH the school holidays in full swing, RT Xtreme Fiji took up the initiative to conduct taekwondo training sessions for its members in the Suva, Nakasi and Nausori areas at the Shiv Temple Hall in Samabula, Suva yesterday.
More than 60 young students attended the class, led by taekwondo Grand Master and multi-time Olympic coach Andy Rutten.
Rutten said the aim of the sessions was a broad one; to raise the standard of the sport.
“The purpose of the training camp is to show the young students more on taekwondo the same way that it’s being played at the Olympics,” he said.
“So it’s a very sophisticated, very fine procedure on how to develop young students to that level so they really understand the sport, the techniques, the skills to apply that later on in that game.”
He said the turnout and spirit of learning present within the youngsters was brimming with interest.
“Very young kids, very enthusiastic. They’re fantastic; some of them are already following the modern way very well. They’re all learning but they’re doing fantastic.”
With a high turnout noted and students showing a deep interest in learning about the sport through the various routines they practiced, Rutter reflected on what lay ahead.
“My aim is that I can pass on very important points for the skills, motivation, the meaning of body and mind work, being physically fit to what they do,” he said.
“I hope I can implement all the very important fine points for the skills so they can carry that back later on in their own training.”
Meanwhile, head instructor of RT Xtreme Fiji, Pranit Kumar highlighted the role he played in preparing the youngsters in the programme for the sport at an early age.
“I’ve been doing a build-up training for them already. From the starting, they’ve been doing hard training so I have introduced to them the modern taekwondo,” Kumar said.
“Basically we start Olympic standard from the beginning so as you can see, most of them are coping up.”
The training session will end today.
