Broken kneecap can't stop champ

Stories by MARTY KNACK
Journal Staff Writer

Edmonton — An Olympic-bound athlete trom Edmonton has proven that a mind-over-matter philosophy really applies in martial arts.

Sayed Najem, 22, recently won his fourth Canadian tae-kwon-do championship deSpite breaking his right kneecap in his first of five men's bantamweight matches.

Najem and Edmonton's Shelley Vettese-Baert are among six Canadian competitors who have qtialified for the Barcelona Olympics. Najem's instructor, master Kay Min, will make his second straight appearance in the demonstration sport as a coach.

"He was fighting with one leg," said Min. "He's very strong mentally. He didn't tell me (about the injury) because he thought 1 would make him stop fighting."

Najem easily defended. his title May 16 in Toronto. He waited three days before visiting a doctor after going to Ottawa for his brother's wedding.

"I was doing a roundhouse kick in the second round of my first fight," he said. "I hit my opponent's shin. I felt it right away.

"A lot of people knew I was injured. They tried to get to my knee."

"I thought something might be wrong but there's enough time to heal (before his Aug. 3 tournament in Barcelona)."

Doctors "initially had to drain the fluid" from around the damaged joint and Najem is wearing a tensor bandage to protect it. He also spends two to 3½ hours daily undergoing physiotherapy at the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Alberta.

"(The Olympics) is my big-time dream," said Najem, who I was also on the team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and earned a silver medal at last year's world championships.

"The world championships last year was (Min's) dream. 1 want it this time.

"I've suffered for eight years (since starting the sport). I want to make a career out of this, with a gold medal."

Min recalls that "I loved (Najem's) attitude" when he initially appeared at his school.

"He tried really hard," said Min.

He's convinced that Najem "has a really good chance to get a gold medal" in Barcelona.

"Spain had five (athletes) in the finals last year (in various divisions at the world championships)," said Min.

"Sayed beat the Korean in his semifinal.

"We've been saying Olympics, Olympics for four years."

Najem returned from Ottawa last week and resumed light training Tuesday.

"I'm OK technically," he said.

"I can kick."