From Taekwondo, Judo, Aikido to bodybuilding

To Vacqur, bodybuilding seems to be a really good ground for him.

The ex-junior judoka slugging it out during a state-level MMA preliminary round in Kuching.

FORMER Malaysia Games judoka Van Vacqur Cotter is now focusing on another arena far different from what he has been training in since he was 15.

So far, things have been turning out quite well for the 22-year-old.

“Many think it’s rather strange for me to get involved in bodybuilding, which seems to be a whole world apart from judo.

“At least if I joined karate or other forms of martial arts, there would have been some connection,” he told thesundaypost during a weightlifting session at MSNS Gym Kuching recently.

Still, his venture into bodybuilding has not been fruitless, finishing fourth at this year’s Mr Fitness Boulveard Kuching and being listed among the top 10 best fitness contestants at the recent Mr Iron Hardcore Sarawak Open.

Standing at 174cm, Vacqur’s lean muscular frame did suit his preference for the fitness category of bodybuilding – also known as aesthetics.

“As much as I’d like to enter bodybuilding competitions, I have trouble bulking up as I have super-fast metabolism. To many, this is a great problem to have, but not so for me,” he laughed.

On his move to a sport other than judo, Vacqur said bodybuilding was not the first.

“After I reached 21, I was automatically no longer eligible for Malaysia Games. That was when I embarked onto new sports. I entered mixed martial arts (MMA) during a state-level challenge earlier this year and got selected for the national try-outs which sadly, I had to forego due to work commitment.

“Still, bodybuilding seems to be a really good ground for me as just like judo, it requires discipline and hard work,” he said.

Vacqur says as much as he wants to enter bodybuilding competitions, he has trouble bulking up due to his super-fast metabolism.

The 22-year-old in action at the recent Mr Iron Hardcore Sarawak Open, where he finished among the best 10 in the Fitness category.

How it started

Ironically, it was judo that got him interested in bodybuilding in the first place.

“I watched this YouTube clip showing a judo master, Sensei Taihei Ori – who is in his 70s – performing 3,000 push-ups every day.

“I was immediately inspired. I told myself: ‘If he could do it, so could I’. So I followed that routine, but ended up managing only 800 reps (laughed).

“Still, I wasn’t discouraged.

“Now, I make it a point to do 300 push-ups every day to maintain my stamina. To me, Sensei Ori’s message on that video was not all about strength; rather he also wanted to stress on the importance of discipline, spirit of competitiveness and self-determination in achieving one’s target,” said Vacqur, who speaks fluent Mandarin.

Vacqur (second left) with his Malaysia Games team-mates after training in this file pic.

Self-defence streak

Apart from judo and bodybuilding, this Bidayuh lad from Kampung Sagah has begun to explore aikido.

“You can say that some of the influences come from watching Steven Seagal (Hollywood action movie icon) in the movies,” he quipped. “Truth is, I have a penchant for martial arts – I took up taekwondo when I was still in primary school.”

Currently, Vacqur follows his cousin, Sullivan Cotter, 41, who is a sensei at Aikishuren Dojo Kuching and his former teacher Andrese Ridu, who teaches in SMK Bau.

“Interestingly, judo and aikido are not much different from one another – both stress on discipline and hard work. Perhaps judo is slightly more competitive, while aikido focuses more on self-defence,” he said.

Nevertheless with all the different hats that he’s wearing, Vacqur said he would never, ever forget judo.

“Now that I have become a senior judoka, my all-time desire to enrol in the Kodokan Centre of Excellence is still burning.

“I want to learn more from the Japanese masters, like Sensei Kawamoto who coached Olympics judo players. I met him during a judo workshop at Chung Hua Middle School No 1 several years ago. That would be awesome.

“Nonetheless, to reach there, I know that I must work hard,” he added.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/11/09/from-throwing-body-to-building-body/#ixzz3IWoPPdMq

Chee Wei bags gold for Malaysia in karate

INCHEON: Like a knight in shinning armour, Lim Chee Wei came to Malaysia’s rescue with a gold medal on the first day of the karate competition.

The 23-year-old Asiad debutant rose to the occasion to emerge victorious in the men’s individual kata event at the Gyeyang Gymnasium for Malaysia’s fourth gold in Incheon on Thursday.

He also kept the gold in Malaysia’s possession for the second straight Asiad as his coach and mentor Ku Jin Keat was the gold medallist in Guangzhou in 2010.

Chee Wei, who hails from Penang, dedicated the gold to his two coaches – Patrick Lim Chee Jin and Jin Keat.

“This is my first time at the Asiad and to start off with a gold is amazing. I did not expect it although I was confident of a medal.

“But I would not be able to achieve all these without the dedication and commitment of the two coaches who have sacrificed their time and money to groom me.

“This is a big win and I am now hoping to strike more glory for the country,’ said Chee Wei, a double gold medallist at the Myanmar SEA Games last year.

Chee Wei had a first-round bye and proceded straight to the quarter-finals.

He started off by demolishing Nepal’s Ram Bastolai Parshu 5-0. In the semi-finals, he was again in devastating form with a 4-1 win over Japan’s Issei Shimbaba.

There was no stopping Chee Wei although Indonesian Fidelys Lolobua provided him with a stiff fight. Chee Wei won 3-2 to nab the gold.

Jin Keat, who took over as the national kata team coach, was full of praise for his protege.

“We did target a medal from him. But to start off his debut in the Asian Games with a gold is good. I am sure he will improve along the way.

“He has been my student all the time and we all come from the same club. But more importantly, the win has given the whole team a boost and we have reached our target. But that does not mean we will stop here,” said Jin Keat.

There was, however, no joy for R. Sharmendran, the other Malaysian in action on Thursday.

Competing in the men’s kumite below 67kg category, Sharmendran started off promisingly with a 4-0 first-round win over Mukhammadzaid Iminov of Uzbekistan. But he was beaten 1-4 by Kuwait’s Abdulaziz Ali in the quarter-finals.

The karate team had arrived at the Games on Tuesday under pressure to deliver with Malaysia having only three golds to show and the gloom caused by first-day gold medallist Tai Cheau Xuen’s positive drugs test.

Now, hopes are up again and there is optimism that karate may well get a second gold in the kumite events. Four more Malaysians - S. Senthil, Syakila Saini, Nisha Alagasan and Shree Sharmini Segaran - will go into action on Friday.

The Star

Karate once again delivered when it mattered

INCHEON: Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan crowned her Asian Games debut with a gold medal after a dominating display in the women's kumite below-61kg final today.

The 22-year-old exponent from Klang stopped the clock with 30 seconds remaining after the mercy rule was enforced once Syakilla reached an eight-point lead against Barno Mirzaeva of Uzbekistan.

Syakilla's 10-2 win was the perfect way to mount the top step of the podium in what is the biggest win of her fledgling karate career.

"I am so happy, I can't tell you how happy I am," said Syakilla, who also won gold at the 2013 Sea Games, in between sobs at the Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon.

"This is the best result of my career. I want to thank my coach (Andris Vasiljev), the national karate association, National Sports Council, National Sports Institute, my family and friends for all the support they have given to me."

Syakilla became only the second Malaysian female karate exponent, after S. Premila in 2002, to win Asian Games gold.

Karate has now surpassed badminton and moved level with athletics in having contributed eight gold medals for Malaysia in Asian Games history.

Earlier, S. Senthil Kumaran won bronze in the men's kumite below-55kg category, the event in which R. Puvaneswaran won gold for a second time in 2010.

Senthil won a judges' decision after his bronze medal bout with Indonesia's Suryadi ended 4-4.

Later today, A. Nisha and S. Shree Sharmini take to the floor in the women's below-55kg and below-68kg respectively.