THE Myanmar wushu team that snatched two gold medals at the 4th World Sports for All Games competition last month will soon be instructed by a foreign coach, said U Khun Jar Aung, the secretary of the Myanmar Wushu Federation (MWF).

In late September, Myanmar taolu player Aung Si Thu and sanshou player Si Si Sein won gold medals for their country at the games in the Korean city of Busa. Myanmar finished third on the medal table behind China and Chinese Hong Kong.

Despite Aung Sithu and Si Si Sein’s success in the taolu and sanshou categories, Myanmar’s four other athletes came home empty-handed. U Khun Jar Aung said this has inspired a rethink of the country’s training program.

“Our athletes that competed in the changquan, taijiquan, nanquan and qiangshu events weren’t quite up to the task of winning a gold medal,” he said. “So, we will hire another foreign coach to train the athletes for these kinds of events.”

The Myanmar wushu team is currently under the guidance of Chinese coach Su Tongyu at international events.

“The 4th World Sports for All Games was the last international event Myanmar’s wushu athletes will take part in in 2008.We are now focusing on building on our success and looking ahead to the Laos SEA Games and other international events to be held in 2009 and will work on our athletes’ weaknesses with the help of two Chinese coaches,” U Khun Jar Aung said.

The MWF has sent a proposal to China to hire a coach and the organisation expects the coach to arrive in Myanmar in the middle of November.