Karatekas intensify 30th SEA games preparations

THE national karate team is currently training overseas in preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian games (SEA games), as well as the qualifying tournaments for next year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) sent the karatedos abroad for a two-month international training and exposure to ensure their good performances in the SEA games and the Olympic qualifiers.

The national kumite team has been training in Turkey since last month under Turkish Coach Okay Arpa and will be back by October 30 in time for peaking and the last stages of preparations for the

SEA games set from November 30 to December 11.

The national kata team are also in Japan since last month and will also be back in November in time for the SEA games.

“The PSC has extensively supported our athletes’ training, both at home and overseas,” PSC Chairman William Ramirez said. “We are not dropping our chances. Athletes should get their training and exposure.”

Jamie Lim, a Mathematics summa cum laude graduate at the university of the Philippines and daughter of Philippine Basketball Association legend Samboy Lim, is one of those being picked as a potential SEA games gold medal winner.

Lim won gold in the -68 kgs kumite in the recent Amator Spor Haftasi Karate Championship in Sakarya, Turkey, a strong indication of her potential; domination in her weight class in the SEA games, along with Filipino-American Jone Orbin, and Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii and Sheriff Afif.

Other medal hopefuls include Miyuki Tacay, Rexor Tacay, Ivan Agustin, Mae Soriano, prince Alejo, Sharief Alejo and Eugene Dagohoy.

Karate Pilipinas President Richard Lim said that Filipino-Americans Jone Orbin and Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii have very good chances of qualifying for Tokyo 2020 where karate will be played as an Olympic medal sport for the first time.