#11: “Top-Performing” ITL Athletes Train With Top Iranian Coach In Greece

ITL hit the ground running this new year after four club athletes flew to Greece to train with an international legend. And two of them were earmarked as the top performers of the Maltese contingent.

The head coach of Iran’s senior women’s team, Mahroo Komrani, gave her experiences in a special Kyrougy training camp in Athens from January 03 to 07, 2023.

Komrani is well known for her role in having led Kimya Alizandeh to the only Olympic medal ever won by an Iranian athlete in any sport. The coach was also chosen as the best coach in two world championships, once in Asian championships and several times in Fajr competitions.

Michela Scerri, Alycia Cassar, Jean Schembri and Robin Zammit were joined with ITL and national coach Ditmir Vodinaj in training. Three additional local athletes from Dragon Academy joined the party to create one memorable experience.

Of all participating athletes, Michela and Alycia were chosen as the top performers of the Maltese team.

Komrani gave a comprehensive report on the Maltese team at the conclusion of the training camp.

“They have good physical fitness, good muscle strength, good aerobic endurance, good agility and good flexibility,” she said.

“Technically, their basic techniques are very good. They perform well in attack and use attack tactics well. They have high speed in attack. They execute high kicks well and most of the points in sparring are obtained from high kicks.”

One, however, can always find avenues to improve. Especially when it comes to fighting sports.

“Conversely, I noted low muscle endurance, weakness in hip adduction and hip abductor muscles. By weakness I mean in performing turning kicks and using them in sparring. They lose most of their points in the clinch and counterattack. They need to improve their game management, including lead maintenance. Being young and inexperienced, they also tend to act emotionally in the fight."

“As the age increases and they gain more experience through competition and camps, these weaknesses will be resolved.”

“The Maltese team is a good technical team and I hope it will get good results in the future.”

The training camp is the first on the club’s agenda ahead of a busy 2023 campaign.

Later this month, Alycia will be travelling again to Greece at the behest of European Taekwondo Union President Sakis Pragalos. There, she will undergo another intensive week of training under with Athletic Club Dafni in Athens.

Alycia and Michela will also compete in the Presidents Cup (G2) this coming February and the Belgium Open (G2) this March.