The BOSM English Press interviewed Hardik Jain, Captain of the Taekwondo Team, about the team’s current performance, training regimen, and expectations from BOSM 2022. He also spoke about his personal experience as captain of the team.

Taekwondo is a form of competitive martial arts that lays emphasis on kicking and punching techniques. Each contestant aims to maximise their points by landing blows on the opponent’s torso or head. The match is contested over two-minute bouts, with a break of one minute between successive rounds. Taekwondo is very dynamic with active movements that require proficiency in foot skills. 

On being asked about the team’s preparation for this BOSM, Hardik said that unlike other teams which primarily practised before the fest, the taekwondo team trains all year round. Their training regimen involves two hours of practice daily. As the fest approaches, they plan on reducing their training time in order to rest and recover from previous injuries, if any. Hardik mentioned that they are expecting stiff competition from professional taekwondo academies who have contested at state and national levels. 

The biggest challenge, Hardik claimed, is the lack of popularity and general awareness about taekwondo. To tackle this, they are planning to conduct a taekwondo demonstration for all BITSians sometime next semester. They also find it difficult to recruit students who would be ready to commit to the sport, and give the required time to it. 

Hardik said that he was immensely satisfied with their coach, Mr Ajay, as well as the available inventory. When asked about his expectations from BOSM, he remarked that it would be a great learning experience for him and the team as they would encounter significantly more experienced contestants than them. 

Elaborating on the recruitment process, Hardik said that they first conduct a workshop from which interested candidates approach them. They then start training for two hours daily—the first hour is dedicated to endurance training and the second to martial arts. Hardik claimed that they do not have any prerequisites. New recruits are kept under probation for at least a semester, after which they are recruited based on their regularity.

Hardik is a state-level gymnast but had not trained professionally for taekwondo before he joined BITS. Claiming that taekwondo is a ‘lifestyle’ rather than just martial arts for him, he added that it teaches decision-making and dedication.

As captain, Hardik said that he had to oversee a lot of things during the fest, which included helping in designing the jersey, team recruitment, inviting judges, and deciding the venue for the matches. Owing to his captaincy, he feels immensely responsible for the team which in turn has boosted his performance. He said that he is looking forward to teaching the team all that he has learned from his seniors and the coach. 

To conclude, Hardik said that he expects the team to perform to the best of their abilities, and asked them to treat the tournament as an opportunity to ‘expand their experiences’.