N.N.
Any memory that has stayed with you since the time you won a medal?
K.M.
Since I started playing this sport I have had a lot of memories which have stayed forever. But since the time I won a medal, there is a memory of mine. At the time of the 2018 Asian Games, Jakarta (Indonesia) when I went into the quarter-finals with Korea, I was so close to bagging the medal but unfortunately, I didn’t. I was so shattered at that moment which was unbearable for me at that moment. This is the memory that has stayed in my mind.
N.N.
How is the Taekwondo scene in India for women? How essential is self-defense for a female to learn?
K.M.
Since taekwondo is an unrecognized sport in India, at the same time people do not look forward to this sport as a professional or a carrier choice making. They support their daughters by just sending them to learn self-defense. Everyone knows this is a martial art but taekwondo has its own identity. Lack of knowledge and awareness about this sport has brought people’s mentality disguised. As individually speaking, it is very important to learn self-defense or any kind of martial arts. Especially for women, martial arts not only make you physically strong but also mentally. It teaches you a lot many things in your life.
N.N.
According to you, “Taekwondo is about flexibility, accuracy, speed, and power.” How can anyone develop the key essentials? Hours of practice that go into the making of a winner?
K.M.
Taekwondo is a difficult martial art, one individual needs to have flexibility, accuracy, speed, power, endurance, and many more qualities to enhance their performance. As it is a Korean national sport, every two years this sport is changing in terms of techniques – tactics or overall. One needs to adapt to this sport fast in changing period of time. These keys can be developed by hard work which includes your training, sleep quantity, good diet, and recovery sessions.
One individual cannot define how many hours will take them to develop these keys, as each individual body and mind are different to adapt. One can achieve in a short period of time or one needs to have the patience to develop.
N.N.
Where do you go for training? How have you been coping during COVID with sports events being postponed?
K.M.
I train at peace taekwondo academy powered by sports cube centre, Gurgaon. As per the COVID situation, the whole world and respective sports athletes are facing this situation. I have been mentally strong in those days when the championship got postponed. I was been selected for the Asian qualification for Olympics also for the Asian championship. But our team visa got canceled due to the COVID situation. As it was a downfall for our team but I personally had a conversation with my psychologist which made me feel better and gave me a different perspective to see. I cope with the situation better and know that I have to pursue this sport in my entire life. Regardless of what the situation is but there will be times where opportunities will knock. Opportunities are never-ending, if not today tomorrow it will be, that’s what I believe and I just wanted to focus on my goals.
