the goan I network
PANAJI
Siblings, Alana and Ethan Da Gama are kicking a storm with their early promise and performance in the martial art “ taekwondo.
Alana, only eight years, and her older brother, Ethan, at 12 have given every indication that they have the wherewithal to be prominent exponents of the Korean martial art through the tests of time. The duo learnt taekwondo under the able guidance and training of coach Prakash Jaigadi, a national referee, international player, and head coach and owner of the Star Taekwondo Academy, Porvorim.
Alana, the younger sibling was fascinated by the speed and aerobic skills of the taekwondo students at a demo at her school which drew her towards the martial art. Not long after, enthused by her daughter’s interest, Arlette Da Gama enrolled Alana as she was keen that her daughter learn some form of self defense. Meanwhile, her older brother, followed suit a week later. Though Ethan had his initiation into taekwondo at a summer camp and liking it as well, he had some concern. Being a football aficionado, he was apprehensive on how he could balance his football classes along with taekwondo. But when his younger sister made her decision, Ethan too joined in.
Taekwondo has transformed little Alana, known to her family, friends and teachers as a delicate girl to a budding fighter who can hold her own.
Alana and Ethan meanwhile undergo training thrice a week for an hour at the academy but also undertake a special three-hour routine training programme to gain strength, speed and agility in preparation for their first ever national taekwondo championship taking place in the State next month.
Only eight, and five months into training, Alana gave early signs of her innate talent when she won a silver medal in the 1st star taekwondo academy invitational tournament. Alana’s dedicated and determined workout sessions to prepare for her first championship outside Goa yielded rich dividends. Alana won the coveted gold medal at the 34th North and East Taekwondo Championship held at Jim Corbett, Uttarkhand earlier this May.
Heaping praise on his young ward, coach Jaigadi stated, “Alana is a very hard working student of mine. She exudes a high level of energy and is quick. At the age she is, her concentration is good and she has shown immense passion for the sport. She has a bright future if she maintains the same focus.”
Ethan, on the other hand, claimed his first gold medal when he participated in the 1st Star Taekwondo Academy Open Invitational Tournament. He followed it up by winning the yellow metal again, this time at the 34th North and East Taekwondo Championship held at Jim Corbett, Uttarkhand in May. Two months on, he clinched a silver medal at the South West Taekwondo Championships in Mysuru, Karnataka.
True to knowledge, his coach concedes that the student of Sharada Mandir, Miramar initially had more drive towards another sporting discipline. “When Ethan joined taekwondo, he was still very interested in football. But in time, his interested in taekwondo has grown profound. I can say that in my academy, he is one of my strongest students in his
category,” Jaigadi said.
