The Burundi Taekwondo Club spectacular victory in Uganda

Taekwondo Burundian players have very recently won the Uganda Open Taekwondo Championship 2014 held at Kampala on 29 March. They got five gold medals and a cup.-By Yves Didier Irakoze

Bujumbura Taekwondo Club players in Training.©Iwacu

Ten Taekwondo teams from Uganda (the host country), Burundi, South Soudan and Kenya have participated in the competition. Burundi was represented by 7 players and 5 of them won 5 gold medals and the cup.“We are satisfied with the great tactics and techniques shown by the young Burundians; this has led to a spectacular victory,” happily says Dismas Sindayihebura, Chairman of Burundi Taekwondo Federation. He goes on saying that each Burundian should face not less than 5 competitors. It is a great step even though Burundi presented 1team whereas other countries were represented by 2 or more teams. Emery Barutwanayo, Captain of Burundi National Taekwondo Team expresses that Burundians are more advanced technically and tactically in this discipline though they still need more physical strength. He states that they are highly appreciated, honored and known due to their fighting tactics and techniques thanks to the Coach Eugène Kagabo (Rangira). However, they are not physically strong because they spend much energy without enough recovery during intense physical training. “Competitors from other countries ask us to come back and help them technically. This is the honor to us and our country,” declares Barutwanayo.

Much effort is still needed

“We thank the government for its initiative as well as its financial and material support to us though much more effort is still needed,” points out Barutwanayo.
According to him, they often train very hard but they are not sure to participate in the competitions. Another problem is that they sometimes get ready to take part but, by the end, they are not all selected. They want the government to announce those who will participate in time. They also call upon other companies to support martial arts as they support other sport disciplines. Dismas Sindayihebura, Chairman of Burundi Taekwondo Federation concludes that another problem they have is the lack of Burundian coaches and referees who could accompany the delegation for supervising and refereeing; this is due to the lack of financial means.