A small but determined group strives for martial arts perfection
Coach, master and president of the Guyana Taekwondo Association, Ramjeet Ramphal has mastered the art of taekwondo, a Korean martial art, and is now passing on this form to his students.
In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Ramphal said he has been involved in martial arts since the 1970s. He was originally into karate but switched to taekwondo because it was a more developed sport and at that time gained Olympic status. He has done numerous courses overseas to master the art of taekwondo.
“In the late 60s and early 70s we were very influenced by the Chinese movies which prompted most to get into martial arts. Taekwondo is an aggressive but artistic sport as well. It is fully an electronic system in the protective pads which are placed on various parts of the body. The sensors in them show the impact of kicks. Fast high speed aerobatic kicks from the neck and there about score more points,” the master described.
Master Ramphal has entered numerous competitions, victoriously copping gold medals, and this legacy he is passing on to his students. He was selected to do judging for Pan American games, and was invited to be a referee at an Olympic game, but due to unforeseen circumstance he was forced to decline. He has also visited Korea, which he calls the “mecca” of taekwondo.
“We had a number of training sessions/courses offered by the International Olympics Committee and by the Guyana Olympics Association held in Mexico and Hong Kong, and many of my students have benefitted from these. One of my students is being offered to go on a coaching course in Montreal, Canada. I was offered it but I think it’s time for my students to take up the reign and develop themselves,” Master Ramphal revealed.
When asked what it takes to be a master of taekwondo, the coach said will, dedication, and strength. The training, he added, is a frustrating journey, so it is vital to have those attributes, which pay off in the end.
“It is my dedication to the sport that brought me through. I’m involved in other sports too like ballroom dancing, swimming and others. I excel more in and the reward to see my students develop is my motivation to continue,” he disclosed.
The master said there is a philosophical, spiritual and of course physical part of taekwondo and various degrees to the black belt.
“When a student is awarded the black belt it doesn’t stop there. He continues to follow a process of self-development, because there are various degrees in the black belt. So it is a continued learning process in taekwondo,” he mentioned.
Ramphal recently took a team with him to an open taekwondo championship held in Suriname. They have entered in such competitions for over eight years, and have had various degrees of success. This year, although they did not bring home the gold as they did in past years, Ramphal said the two silver medals and one bronze medal are sufficient because his students put up a valiant fight.
