IMPHAL, July 13: Two USA nationals arrived into the state on July 11 to provide a short-term training on Wushu, Taiche event hand push technique at the Khuman Lampak sports complex.
The husband and wife American nationals started their training programme from today at the Khuman lampak complex attended by around 70 Wushu players of the state.
During a brief interaction with some select state media persons, the two wife identified themselves as Haukum, 55 (a Hong Kong Chinese) and her husband Peter Knip, 70.
Haukum is an associate professor of performing arts, Columbia College Chicago and a Taiche Instructor while, her husband is a Taiche specialist, she informed the media persons.
She also said that they were inspired to come to the state after watching some Manipur Wushu players on TV during their stay at Kolkata about a week back.
She continued that they were in the country to research on the various forms of tribal performing arts of the North East region.
However after watching the performance of the Manipuri Wushu players, they changed their minds and instead decided to train the Manipuri players.
Elaborating on their journey to the state, she informed that soon after their arrival into the state on July 11, they started enquiring about Wushu associations and players in the state.
After a brief interaction with the Wushu Association of Manipur, they started their training and will continue until they leave the state on July 17.
While acknowledging the various Manipuri Wushu who players who have won international and national level championships, she expressed her belief that the short term training will be of some help to the Manipuri players.
She also acknowledged that Manipuri players are on the top in India when it comes to contact sports.
Informing that this is her second time in the state, she said that she considers Manipur as her second home as she finds certain similarities in food habits and way of lifestyle.
She further informed that with the Protected Area permit lifted from the state, several Wushu players from Yunnan province of China to impart Wushu training in the state, which would only improve the level of the sports in Manipur.
Meanwhile it may be mentioned that Wushu discipline became popular in the state after the arrival of a young Chinese coach, Liyangdong in the state and providing 10 days training.
Recently, six players of the state and a coach were selected to represent India out of the 15 member team at the 4th Paras Cup at Iran.