Karate pupil keen on return

At just 7 years old, Anna Leat has taken on some of Japan's top regional age group karate exponents.

While she did not win against all of them, the plucky Arrowtown karate kid is keen to go back for more.

Anna and her mother Jackie Leat travelled to Japan last month as part of an invitational New Zealand team to compete in a Japanese regional tournament in Fukuoka for children aged between 7 and 15.

Anna, the youngest on the 16-strong New Zealand squad, and the only one from the South Island had earned her place when she won her age division at the New Zealand Karate Open last year.

She also earned her passage over, having busked all summer to raise money for the trip.

The tournament held a few surprises. Japan's karate style was faster and more aggressive than in New Zealand, Mrs Leat said.

"The first couple of matches was a big surprise because they [the Japanese competitors] were all aiming for her head," Mrs Leat said.

"Here, children aren't allowed to take head shots until they are at least 10, so she didn't know how to defend her head . . . and she didn't have a protective helmet."

But Anna soon adapted and after borrowing additional safety gear did better than expected against the 57 competitors in her age group.

She made the third round, a feat only equalled by two other New Zealand team members.

While the karate style was much tougher than the pair were used to, both were amazed by the warm welcome they and the other New Zealanders received.

"Everyone was so friendly . . . The children went to a local school and were treated like movie stars," Mrs Leat said.

"Everyone stood and clapped when they walked into the classroom and when they were leaving there were children waving from the windows."

One of the biggest benefits of the tournament was experiencing a new culture and way of life.

"There is a lot we could learn from Japanese people in terms of how to live next to your neighbour. They were very humble and considerate of everyone around them," Mrs Leat said.

Anna wants to learn Japanese and hopes to have another opportunity to go back to the birthplace of her chosen sport soon.

Having been inspired by training sessions with Japanese karate world champions and hanging out with four-time kata world champion Atsuko Wakai, this trip could be just a taste.

from: www.odt.co.nz

Ex-champ Ndiwa looks to bounce back to fame

By Mutwiri Mutuota

After overcoming a genetic injury and severe bouts of typhoid and malaria, resurgent Mangata Ndiwa hopes the Saturday Amman World Cross will restore his international career.

In 2006, Ndiwa was on top of the world after being crowned 8km men’s race champion in Fukuoka, Japan, before his assault on the 5,000m gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Beijing fell short after he finished fourth.

It was to be the last time Ndiwa featured in an international tournament as a rare condition-hole in the ankle and a combination of typhoid and malaria ravaged his career.

"It’s been a difficult period for me but I am pleased to be competing for Kenya again. It is my desire to do the very best in Amman as a tribute to all those who have worked hard to see me through this," Ndiwa said.

At the Trials for Amman, Ndiwa ran 38:58.2 for sixth and was handed wildcard selection for the World Cross.

Finished fifth

In 2005, Ndiwa finished fifth (24:15) at the junior race during the St Galmier-St Etienne World Cross before winning silver (13:45.37) at the Africa Junior Championships in Rades, Tunisia.

The following year, Ndiwa was crowned World Cross junior champion (25:34) and led Kenya to a perfect 10 (1-2-3-4 finish) in the 8km race before he clocked 13:44.03 for fourth at the Beijing World Juniors’ 5,000m race.

But just before travelling to Beijing, Ndiwa developed swelling in the left ankle that got worse after the event which had first appeared in 2004 and was later diagnosed as a hole in the ankle.

Early retirement

It is the same injury that forced famed Dutch footballer and later national team coach, Marco van Basten’s early retirement in 1995 while playing for Serie A side, AC Milan.

"It is an injury that cannot be treated, one has to be conditioned to live with it," Ndiwa’s coach, Brother Colm O’Connell said.

Besides the inborn defect, Ndiwa suffered from a severe case of typhoid that later combined with malaria, ending his dreams of featuring at last year’s World Cross and Beijing Olympics Games.

"I was still not getting cured and I changed my doctor with the one who gave me different medication that was able to bring the typhoid and malaria under control. I have been on this medication until recently when I felt strong again."

Ndiwa roared back to action at the fourth KCC/AK National Cross meeting held at Kisii with a classy victory in the long race in 37:10.0, followed by a second finish (26:54, 8.9km) at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run. The lanky Kenyan clocked 26:54 in the men’s 8.9km race.

"It will be very tough in Amman but I believe the Kenyan team can do something. Personally, my goal is to get a medal."

Two of his younger siblings, sister Stacy and brother Emmanuel Ndiwa have followed in his footsteps by launching their athletics careers.

from: www.eastandard.net

Double heartbreak for Young All Whites

The New Zealand under-17 football team will play off for 15th place the Sanix Cup tournament in Fukuoka, Japan, after losing one game to a late goal and another in a penalty shootout on day three.

The Young All Whites will also play the Japan under-17 national team in a friendly on Monday.

New Zealand's morning match on Saturday against Saga Higashi High School looked set to finish scoreless until the Japanese students got in behind New Zealand's defence with two minutes of the 80-minute match remaining to set up the game's only goal.

The Young All Whites picked themselves up for an afternoon match against Kagashimi Josei but again failed to score, with the Japanese side claiming a 4-3 penalty shootout win after the match finished 0-0 in normal time.

from: www.radionz.co.nz

A tour independent Aoyama Thelma from Fukuoka

Aoyama Thelma of the active female college student singer who broke through very much started the first independent tour in ZEPP Fukuoka in Chuuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi on February 20 and showed を which could "reach" it of the new song last year.

Aoyama Thelma about this independent tour "practiced, and had been waiting one month". It is thanks thanks. Great applause went up from a full meeting place when I told the feeling of thanks to "and the fan who gathered.

Aoyama Thelma seems to have performed a club event in Fukuoka in December, 2007 just after the debut, and only 20 visitors did not gather then. However, tears ran it down from jam-packed 2,000 people, eyes of Aoyama Thelma this time.

There "was it near slept" as image-song of the mobile commercial, and が Aoyama Thelma whom I made a big hit and repainted the number of the downloads of each ringing melody company, and it was authorized by Guinness, and broke through very much participated in the Red and White Singing Contest at the end of the year.

from: e-japannews.com

Street fighter 4 breaks through 2,000,000 of them

When street fighter 4 who appeared in the fruit of the street fighter of that popularity arcade game from Play Station 3 by a new work for the first time in 11 years was the whole world, and shipment number exceeded 2,000,000, there was announcement from Capcom of the game production company.

Street fighter 4 casts it into the Japanese market as three Play Station software by the complete new work from a way of about 11 successively for the arcades in last year on February 12, 2009 since I lined up in the series at a game arcade.

[TRANS] 090316 Fukuoka MC Diary (TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki/東方神起/동방신기)

THSK’s Junsu, Yoochun, Changmin had arrived at Bob! to film.

From the previous programs, such as Basketball and bowling, we had received lots of suggestion from everyone.

After going on Kohaku, the boys are now a superstar!

However, it didn’t change their image of having a great attitude.

When we ended the location, Saitou Msaru said “I think DBSK is not human like you say,” which i replied “I really mean what i said~”

This would be broadcast soon! Do enjoy it!

Fukuoka MC diary

THSK, Junsu, Yoochun, Changmin
had arrived at Bob! to film.

From the previous programs
such as Basketball and bowling, we had received lots of suggestion from everyone.

after going on Kohaku, the boys are now a superstar!

However, it didn’t change their image of having a great attitude.

When we ended the location, Saitou Msaru said “I think DBSK is not human like you say,” which i replied “I really mean what i said~”

this would be broadcast soon! Do enjoy it!

Jeju to Boost Airline Industry in Bid for Tourists

Jeju Island is looking to the airline industry for ways to draw in more tourists this year. Aiming to make the island more accessible for travelers from abroad, the resort island introduced a special incentive program in which an international airline that plans to establish a new route to Jeju will be given as much as W5 million (US$1=W1,488).

The island will also seek ways to chip in on surcharges for landing, which are usually about $100, if airlines run more flights to Jeju.

The move has already struck chords with major airlines from China, Japan and Taiwan that have increased their number of flights to the vacation spot.

In the case of Chinese airlines, new direct routes from Hangzhuo and Dailian have been set up, while a Gwangzuo route will open on March 27.

Taiwan is opening a flight from its largest container port city of Kaohsiung, and Japan has increased the number of flights from Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.

Jeju is hosting the ASEAN-Korea summit this June and plans to attract as many as 60,000 tourists this year, compared to 54,000 last year.

Arirang News

Destination Amman – IAAF Cross Country Permit meeting season round-up

Monte-Carlo - With the 23rd edition of the Fukuoka Cross Country races taking place on Saturday 7 March, the tenth and final IAAF Cross Country Permit meeting of the 2008/09 season was concluded.

The IAAF series of races, which commenced in Oeiras, Portugal on 15 November 2008, fittingly was run off at its conclusion on a slightly modified version of the course which hosted the 2006 global championships in Fukuoka. ‘Fittingly’ because the annual IAAF Permit series is naturally focused on the overall climax to the cross country season, the World Championships.

This year we celebrate the 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships which will be staged in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday 28 March. This is the first time in the championships’ history that they have been held in the Middle East.

Since we published our recap of the action that took place in the first half of the season (Nov 2008 to end of Jan 2009) - see 'Related Content' under the logo for previous story - the IAAF circuit has stopped at Italy’s world famous Cinque Mulini in San Vittore Olona, and then travelled to fixtures in Luxembourg, Kenya, the Algarve, as well as Japan, with the distribution of honours continuing to be spread across the world’s distance running elite.

In a season when the reigning World Cross Country champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia have been sidelined by injury, the lack of a true stand-out King or Queen in waiting makes predications for Amman more suitable territory for a clairvoyant or an oracle than it does a sports statistician.

Throughout this season’s 10 meetings only one athlete, Florence Kiplagat (KEN) has managed to take more than one victory, with the winner in Seville (18 Jan) also taking success in Nairobi a month later, a meeting which also doubled as the Kenyan trials.

Kenya’s 2008 World Cross Country bronze medallist Linet Masai, who won the prestigious race in Edinburgh on 10 January was third behind Kiplagat at the Trials.

Moses Mosop was the men’s winner in Nairobi, a race which saw a set back to the Amman hopes of Qatar’s World Steeplechase record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen who only three weeks before had sauntered to victory in San Vittore Olona, seemingly fully recovered from injury.

That race in Italy saw Antrim race winner (3 Jan) Stephanie Twell of Britain - who was fourth in the Edinburgh race - bettered by Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics, whose own attempt to take a second IAAF permit race this season was scuppered at the start of March. Latvia’s New York marathon winner Yelena Prokopchuka beat Kalovics by six seconds in the Almond Blossom Cross Country in the Algarve on 1 March.

Titus Masai, the winner of the opening permit meeting in Oeiras in mid November also came close to a second win losing out to compatriot Wilson Kiprop in Diekirch, Luxemburg, but doesn’t make the Kenyan squad for Amman in any case. The same also goes for another high profile winner of an IAAF permit race Abebe Dinkesa who demolished much of the world’s best in Edinburgh but is not listed in the Ethiopian line-up for the World XC.

from: iaaf.org