Star hoping to 'clear the air' with national coach
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Troubled taekwondo exponent Rungrawee Khurasa is hoping to talk and "clear the air" with Korean coach Choi Young-seok, who she accused of striking her, as she wants to return to the national team.
The 40-year-old Choi was at the centre of a controversy involving the Taekwondo Association of Thailand after Rungrawee, nicknamed “Koi”, accused Choi of severely punishing her following her first-round loss at the recent Korea Open.
She asked the long-serving coach, the man credited with the country’s ascendance as a leading proponent of the Korean martial art, to apologise for the incident in which Choi was alleged to have hit her in the face and stomach.
However, Rungrawee failed to turn up at the taekwondo office at the weekend when officials conducted an inquiry into the incident, which quickly became a major talking point after media reports about it last week.
Choi, after returning from the tournament in his native country later than scheduled, made it clear on Monday that the door was not closed for Rungrawee – who he still regards as one of his disciples – to return to the national team if she wishes.
Rungrawee, who won a bronze medal in the recent Asian Championships, never went public on the issue after being interviewed on television for a news programme.
Contacted by the phone yesterday, she clearly stated she wanted to mend fences with Choi, who has coached the Thai team for more than a decade.
Having been with the national team for only three months, Rungrawee also said if things turned out well after the talk, she would be willing to take part in the selection trial for the Asian Games in South Korea later this year. “Of course, I want to return to the national team and I’m ready to clear everything for better understanding with coach Choi.
“I don’t want to say much at this stage. I would like to talk with the coach first. If everything pans out well, I’m ready for the trial for the Asian Games in September.”
Pricha Tortrakul, Taekwondo Association vice president, welcomed the athlete’s move, saying he hoped it could lead to a “happy ending” for both parties.
