Abstract:
Technical skills are the ability to execute a manoeuvre to the best of one’s ability,
while tactical skills are the ability to be more successful in the competition. Both
tactical and technical skills are necessary for an athlete’s performance. The
researcher has ascertained the lack of technical and tactical skills of male national
taekwondo players in Sri Lanka. The prime aim of this study was to analyse the
national players’ technical and tactical skills. Under the qualitative research
design, case study was performed by engaging 8 national male taekwondo players
with 8 weight categories according to the stratified sampling technique. Data were
gathered under the technical and tactical aspects during national competitions
using a video camera by conducting 24 matches (two two-minute rounds, with
one-minute rest in between). Two expert members of the Sri Lanka Taekwondo
Federation observed all the matches from the three types of national
championships. Data were analysed descriptively according to the offensive and
defensive actions concerning the match situations. Results revealed that 7% of
defensive and 93% of offensive actions were used by Sri Lankan national
taekwondo athletes. Sri Lankan athletes were mostly limited to basic techniques
and showed 0% in advanced techniques such as backward slide turning kick,
anticipated turning kick, direct turning kick, switched feet turning kick, jumping
fake turning kick, and 360 turning kick. These findings will help to identify the
current status of the athlete. Therefore, it would be able to design training plans to
enhance the performance of each and every national player.
