The third Karate 1-Premier League event of the season will be held in Fukuoka (Japan) from June 9 to 11. A host of first-class Japanese karatekas will be hoping to use the home-ground factor in their favour to cause a sensation at the event.

“I hope the Karate 1-Premier League in Fukuoka will be a good opportunity for everyone to learn about the martial art of Karate, and that as many people as possible will be interested (in the sport) and start training Karate,” said Miho Miyahara.

The current World champion in Female Kumite -50kg spearheads the Japanese delegation in Female Kumite and aims at winning her sixth Karate 1-Premier League title.

“My goal is the gold medal!” said the current continental runner-up, who started practising Karate at age seven.

Miyahara, who knew that a career in the sport was ahead of her when she won the National Junior High School Championships at 14 years old will have Grand Winner Yorgelis Salazar of Venezuela, and Olympians Moldir Zhangbyrbay of Kazakhstan, Bettina Plank of Austria, and Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu of Turkiye among the main rivals in the quest for gold in Fukuoka. 

“I WANT TO SHOW MY BEST TO MY FRIENDS”

The Japanese delegation in Fukuoka will comprise 49 athletes. The motivation of local athletes to succeed at the event is clear.

“I want to be the champion but in addition to achieving a good result, I want to show my best Kumite to my friends and local fans who will come to the venue to support me,” said Tsubasa Kama.

The current U21 World Championships bronze medallist is among the ample promising generation of Japanese athletes hoping to reach the elite of the sport.

“Although Japan is the birthplace of Karate, foreign competitors are very strong, especially in Kumite. By hosting the event in Japan, morale will be raised, and the Japanese style of the sport will be highlighted for the whole world to see,” said Kama, a favourite in Female Kumite -68kg who comes from a long lineage of karatekas with her father and four sisters practising the sport.

“I HOPE MY STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE KARATE 1-PREMIER LEAGUE FIRST-HAND”

Tradition and progress of Karate will join hands at the event in Fukuoka. It will also be the opportunity for karatekas from the traditional styles of the sport to showcase their abilities in the birth-nation of the sport.

“I want to show the characteristics of the Ryuei-ryu (Okinawan style) and focus on these techniques that I can use to defeat my opponents,” said Ryusei Ikeda.

A practitioner of the traditional style from Okinawa, where Karate was born, Ikeda aims at surprising at the Male Kata competition and win his first gold medal in international competitions.

“I am teaching at a dojo in Okinawa. I tell my students about my participation in the Karate 1-Premier League, but it is difficult to convey the right atmosphere of what this event represents. I hope they can feel the excitement of the event first-hand and that it will push them to participate in international tournaments,” the 2021 Karate 1-Premier League Moscow bronze medallist said.

The Karate 1-Premier League Fukuoka will be held from June 9 to 11. The eliminations on Friday and Saturday will be available LIVE on the WKF YouTube channel. Fans can catch all the action from the medal bouts on Sunday on a host of TV networks and platforms around the world and on the WKF YouTube channel (restrictions applied).

Full list of TV providers

2023 KARATE 1-PREMIER LEAGUE FUKUOKA

https://www.wkf.net/news-center-new