LAHAD DATU: The Hapkido Seminar Day successfully brought together 226 participants from four martial arts clubs, namely Freestyle Martial Arts (FMA), KeSOFAa, Silat Olahraga Delayan Baru and Unique-Kan Taekwondo Club.
Programme coordinator, Coach Rahman of Kelab Silat Olahraga Apin Apin, said participants were briefed on the direction of Hapkido development in Malaysia by the Founder of Hapkido Sabah, Master Benardo Viviero.
Advertisement
The seminar also featured practical training sessions covering basic and advanced techniques, including demonstrations involving nunchaku and sword handling, which introduced new skills to the participants.
“The explanation and coaching provided by the Sabah Hapkido team created a positive learning environment for participants from various martial arts backgrounds,” he said during the programme held at Huguan Siou Open Hall, Keningau, on Tuesday.
Rahman said the sharing sessions were especially meaningful for young martial arts enthusiasts in the interior areas, and expressed hope that Hapkido would one day become a competitive event in major games such as Sukma and Saga.
He also expressed his desire to see more programmes and tournaments organised to strengthen ties between clubs.
“We hope this seminar will serve as a foundation for the growth of Hapkido in Sabah and foster stronger cooperation within the martial arts community statewide,” he added.
Meanwhile, Master Benardo said he was pleased with the strong turnout, describing the participants’ presence as a sign of growing interest in Hapkido in Sabah.
He said collaboration among local clubs is an important step in building a more structured and inclusive training ecosystem for the younger generation.
Master Benardo hopes the seminar will become a catalyst for the advancement of Hapkido in Sabah and further strengthen cooperation among martial arts communities across the State.
