Sabah karatekas to compete in selection program
KOTA KINABALU: If all goes well, Sabah should be well represented on home soil at the 18th Asian Cadet, Junior and Under-21 Karate Championship from April 26-28.
It is a huge possibility as seven Sabah karatekas will be among the 28 athletes nationwide to compete in the National Kumite Athletes selection programme to be organised by the Malaysian Karate Federation (MAKAF).
The selection programme will be taking place at National Sports Council karate gym in Bukit Jalil on March 9.
The hopeful state athletes are Leong Jia Chii (Female Cadet +54kg), Lovely Anne Robberth (female Cadet -47kg), Rafiuddin Faiz Rasmimuhammad (Male Cadet +70kg), Eldrich Aaron Jubili (Male Cadet -63kg), Ivan Charles (Male Cadet -70kg), Carl Pearson Philip (Male Junior 61kg) and Alvin Tam (Male Junior -76kg)
“Those called up were all finalists at the National Cadet, Junior and Under-21 championships.
“They will undergo the selection programme and if successful, they will be competing at the Asian Cadet, Junior and Under21 tournament that Sabah will host at the Kota Kinabalu Sports Comples in Likas next month.
“I hope they give their utmost best during the selection,” Sabah Karate Association (SKA) secretary general Julian Chin said yesterday.
Meanwhile, four Sabahans are already assured of taking part in the Asian championships and Julian hoped there will be more representatives from the state.
They are national elite karateka Pressy Misty Philip and the Bukit Jalil-based trio Richal Mattan, Arthuric Gideon Jiwin and Amirah Syahirah Azlan
“The four of them are in the national team for the championship,” Julian confirmed.
For the record, Pressy, 19, was Sabah’s sole karetaka in the national squad for the championship held in Okinawa, Japan last year.
The Tambunan lass delivered a silver medal after losing to Kazakhstan’s Alexandra Budkina in the final of the Female Under21 Kumite -68kg category.