Boom or bust for Tshomlee
By GERRY CARPIO, The Philippine Star | 08/16/2008 2:21 AM
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BEIJING – To Tshomlee Go, it’s now or never.
After years of Spartan training in a sport that demands extremely-high physical conditioning, complete mastery of skills and techniques and a big fighting heart, Go believes that at 27, it’s either he makes it or breaks it.
His Filipino trainer Rocky Samson puts it succinctly: “Tshom knows it’s going to be his last Olympics, he’s getting old, that’s why he’s so motivated to win.”
Going to the competition, Go says he has all what it takes to win.
“I have trained very hard in Korea, and my competitors in the Olympics also trained as hard under the same coaches and went through the same regimen,” said Go “So, all of us are just about even. This is going to be a battle of nerves.”
He said the four-month Korean program both improved his speed and stamina with a daily routine that included sparring, running and sparring, and pulling huge tires in the mud, pushing heavy objects and anything unorthodox the Koreans could think of.
From the world championships in 2007 in England where he won in a playoff for the bronze that gave him a berth in Beijing, Go said he had improved on his entrance steps — the first steps the jin takes when he starts the bout or resumes battle – to gain control.
“The first steps are important. That’s been a problem for me ever since but I have improved on that,” he said.
After all the physical and skills development program, Go said the athlete with a champion’s heart will win.
“I have trained well and hard. I know how my rivals play the game. All of us are just about even.
You cannot ignore any single player. In the end it’s not your skills or stamina that will make you win. If I win here, it’s because I have the will to win. This is now or never, and with the prayers of our fellow Filipinos I hope I will achieve it.”
