Women’s participation in sport in Timor-Leste has been buoyed by the recent success of female Timorese athletes at international events such as the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
State Secretary for Youth and Sport Miguel Marques Manetelu said though Timor-Leste was a young country, its women were already performing admirably on the world stage.
Timorese women had won particular acclaim – and gold medals – in the Japanese martial art Kempo, he said.
Kempo expert Mekita Lebra Ximenes said her sport did not differentiate between men and women and used skills not particular to either gender.
Her hard work and effort in training paid off last year when she did her nation proud by participating in the SEA Games in Myanmar.
Ximenes, who encountered several obstacles during her preparation, said she hoped her example would serve as motivation for women who wished to participate in sports.
Kempo Association deputy president Domingos Savio said Timorese women’s success in the martial art in the international arena showed the world Timor-Leste athletes could compete with the best.
Savio said Timorese Kempo athletes won gold and silver medals at last year’s SEA Games.
“In the past, very few women participated in Kempo but there has been an increase in the number of participants since women began to achieve in the international events,” he said.
More than 150 people, 108 of whom are women, participate in Kempo in Lautem, Baucau, Maliana, Dili and other districts.
