Goshin Ryu Sarawak quartet vie for Makaf Karate Open honours

MIRI: Four athletes from Goshin Ryu Sarawak (Miri) and 19 others are taking part in the 39th Makaf National Senior Karate Open held in Selangor from March 20 to 24.

The four are Syaza Darmanto, Nur Syahzanani Izzati Yahya, Farihan Harris Hanifah and Syairatul Syahirah Iswandy.

“All four of our karate athletes from Goshin Ryu have undergone intensive training with Iranian coach Yousuff Ataei in Kuching before leaving for Kuala Lumpur for the tournament,” said technical chief Shihan Al-Hariri Muhamed in a media statement yesterday.

Syaza will participate in kata individual events, kumite under 50kg and team kumite while Syahzanani will compete in 68kg kumite event, Farihan ( 67kg kumite) and Syahirah (individual kata).

Shihan expressed optimism that their performance are enhanced with training under Yousuff, an experienced coach who once guided Penang’s karate squad.

The club will also be sending exponents to the Brunei Open Karate Championship on March 30 and 31.

“There is high possibility that we will send two or three athletes to this tournament so that they can gain experience in international competitions,” Shihan explained.

Goshin Ryu wi l l a lso be sending Syaza and Syahzanani to the Surabaya International Karate Championship in July in preparation for the 2020 Sukma in Johor.

The club conducts training every week at Lutong Petrolium Recreational Club under Shihan, an experienced coach with a coaching license from the National Sports Council ( MSN). He is the only Karate referee from Sarawak recognised by the Malaysia Karate Federation (Makaf) and Asia Karate Federation (AKF).