TAEKWONDO star Sophie Dickson continues to impress after yet another victory on the international stage.
The 14-year-old from Norris Green earned a stunning win at the UTA International Championships in London – a further step on the road to stardom in a sport in which she is fast becoming a dominant force.
Sophie, a member of the the Lightning Taekwondo club based in Bootle, dreams of competing for Britain at the 2012 London Olympics and Dave Wishman, her coach at Lightning, hopes she can get there.
“It was an impressive display of tactics and aggressive techniques,” he said, “and many coaches from the other teams commented on her performance and how they hope to see her in the new year.
“She has such a mature attitude for one so young.”
Shirley Dickson, team manager at Lightning Taekwondo and also Sophie’s mum, said: “She is doing exceptionally well at the moment, but we really hope that some sponsors will come forward to help her develop even more.”
Sophie, who last year was named as a ‘Sportsperson of the Month’ by sports drink manufacturer Taut, started out in taekwondo nine years ago when she saw an advert at her local sports centre, and hasn’t looked back.
“Taekwondo is her life,” said Shirley. “She puts her heart and soul into it.
“The Olympics are definitely in her sights and it’s what she wants to achieve.”
For more information on Lightning Taekwondo, and to find out how to sponsor Sophie, visit: www.lightningtkd.co.uk
SUPER SOPHIE
CM NWFP honours medal winners of 3rd Provincial Games
PESHAWAR, Dec. 23 (APP): NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti Tuesday honored medal winners of the 3rd Provincial Games by giving them cash incentives worth Rs.1 millions to more than 128 female and male players here at a local hotel.
NWFP Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar, Chairperson standing committee on Sports Sugufta Malik, Minister for Women Development Sitara Ayaz, Minister for Health Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Minister for Sports Syed Aqil Shah, Secretary NWFP Olympic Association Zulfiqar Butt, office-bearers of the associations and players were also present.
In his speech the NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti said that today is historical day as the players have been given cash incentives for the first time in the history of NWFP.
“Today is a memorial day for all of you and I assured that the government would continue its support to youth by providing all facilities and every good performance at provincial, national and international levels would be recognized with zeal and spirit,”
Hoti added.
“I salute you all as you are portraying the true image of the province both at national and international levels,” he while referring to the players remarked. “You are true ambassador of the province,” he said. “With your support and the support of the NWFP government to players would definitely work against those portraying negative image of the province internationally. “Neither we are terrorists nor supporting terrorism as we believe in peace,” Hoti added.
The world should come and see performance of our players at national and international levels. “It is a very minor step taken by the govt. as we want to continue our support to encourage the youth in all fields of life for prosperous Pakistan,” he said.
The elements involved in sabotaging the peace of the province in particular and in country in general are less in numbers and strength. The government has taken concrete steps not to let them succeed in their nefarious desires, he maintained.
In his welcome address Syed Aqil Shah thanked the Chief Minister for announcing cash incentives to the players who performed well in the games. A total of Rs. 1 million was distributed in the players with Rs. 5000 for gold medal winner, Rs. 3000 for silver medal winners and Rs. 2000 for bronze medalist.
NWFP grabbed 23 gold, 53 silver and 52 bronze medals by securing 2196 points and declared overall second in the Games behind Punjab. NWFP won gold medals in hockey, football, volleyball, Badminton (female), Cycling (female), weightlifting, karate, swimming, judo (female) taekwondo and wrestling. Taekwondo Association was also added best performance trophy of grabbing four gold medals.
The Chief Minister also gave shield to the organizing committee, technical officials, media and Enhancer Communication, the official media marketing. At the end, Aqil Shah presented a shield to the Chief Minister.
I Want Taekwondo as a Permanent Olympic Event
Taekwondo has 188 member nations, making it a sport befitting the Olympic spirit.
Former taekwondo Olympic gold medalist Moon Dae-sung told this to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at a meeting of the Athletes�Commission in Lausanne, Switzerland, held Dec. 8-10.
Moon is the first Asian to be named to the commission, and is lobbying to have taekwondo made a permanent Olympic sport.
In a news conference at Seoul뭩 Olympic Parktel yesterday, Moon announced his plan to globalize taekwondo. "I just began my first step as an IOC AthletesCommission member. I strive to learn more. I want to help Korean sports to be loved by the world,"he said.
Moon won the Olympic gold in taekwondo뭩 heavyweight division in the 2004 Athens Games by knocking out Greece`s Alexandros Nikolaidis with a jump spinning hook kick.
The Korean plans to hold an international forum on taekwondo in August, and will visit underdeveloped nations once or twice a month to spread the martial art and lend a helping hand to them.
"The World Taekwondo Federation has changed its grading system and reduced the scale of the ring,"he said. "I think these changes are good. I will talk to officials from the World Taekwondo Federation, Korea Taekwondo Association and the Kukkiwon (federation headquarters) soon to develop taekwondo into a more dynamic sport."
Moon said he will improve Korean sports diplomacy, nurture talented athletes, and boost the popularity of the Youth Olympics over his eight-year term as commission member.
At an inspection conducted by the National Assembly in October, rumors flew that he had the support of a government ministry in his election to the Athletes Commission.
To this, Moon said, "I broke no rules that members of the IOC Athletes Commission must follow. I was elected to the commission because I talked with athletes 15 hours per day during the Olympic Games."
