Taekwondo camp in Tibet gives kids a kick

The second Tibet youth taekwondo camp ended at the Basum Co youth activity campsite in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region recently, with 60 students at the five-day camp learning the basic etiquette and moves of taekwondo.

The students are all from a central primary school in Nyangpo, a town situated over 4,100 meters above sea level with a heavy focus on herding livestock in the region's Kongpo'gyada county, in Nyingchi city.

Tsele Yudron, 7, was the youngest student at the camp, and after learning the basic techniques of taekwondo, he says, he dreams of being a taekwondo coach when he grows up.

Another camper, Tenzin, 10, says: "It was so cool! I have always liked taekwondo and I felt very happy after earning my white taekwondo uniform at the camp."

Aphel, 11, who also took part in the training, came to study in the Nyangpo Township Central Primary School after being relocated from Chamdo city amid poverty alleviation measures. As a team leader, Aphel was tasked with taking care of her team members.

School headmaster Li Jianyuan says that he was grateful that the regional Youth League Committee and practice base encouraged students to study taekwondo. "This was the first time the children have participated in a cost-free camp with allocated fields and professional teachers," says Li.

Established in 1993, Basum Co youth activity camp has held more than 180 activities for more than 30,000 teenagers in the region, according to Huang Zheng, the director of Tibet's youth practice base.

"The camp will welcome more students from pastoral areas so that they will have greater opportunities to learn taekwondo," says Huang.