The national taekwondo athlete Dorjee Yangkee is stepping up her final preparations for the 20th Asian Games. She leaves for Japan tomorrow. The 19-year-old will compete in the women’s under-67-kilogramme category next Friday. Alongside her intensive training, she is also balancing her college studies.
For Dorjee Yangkee, every training session is about preparing for the biggest competition of her career.
The 19-year-old from Paro is working on her fitness, technique, speed and power. She begins with a 10- to 15-minute warm-up before moving into interval training to improve her endurance and physical fitness.
Target training focuses on attack, defence, accuracy and scoring. She also works on punches, kicks and spinning techniques.
The session then moves into sparring, where Dorjee puts the techniques and skills from her training into practice.
Dorjee trains for four hours every day under Master Lee Ju Sang from South Korea. Alongside her demanding training schedule, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Sports and Health Science at Royal Thimphu College.
“Balancing my studies with my training hasn’t always been easy, but through Taekwondo I’ve learned discipline and time management, and I try to put that same mindset into my studies as well. So with that mindset I can focus both of both on my studies as well as my training. So this mindset has always helped me to overcome my challenges,” she says.
The young athlete has already gained international experience. She competed in Mongolia, won bronze in Nepal and claimed gold at the Korean Cup Tournament, where she was named the Best Female Player.
With the Asian Games in full swing, Dorjee says she is determined to give her best and fight for a medal for Bhutan.
I know this journey is not going to be easy because I will be competing against elite players from across the world. But I want to believe in what I have practised so far. I want to stay composed throughout the competition, give my very best, and meet the expectations I have set for myself and my country.”
Her coach, Master Lee Ju Sang, says Dorjee has the confidence and passion to take on the challenge, while acknowledging that there are still areas the team needs to improve.
“I would like to thank BOC and the Bhutan Taekwondo Federation for allowing us to participate in the Asian Games. She has confidence and passion for the game as a national player. We have many shortcomings, but we take the challenge to achieve good results,” says the coach.
The Asian Games will be Dorjee’s biggest test yet, as she is the only Bhutanese athlete to qualify for taekwondo. After months of preparation, she will now look to carry her training, confidence and determination into the competition and put up her best performance for Bhutan.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
