News from Okinawa November 15, 2022
The 2nd OKINAWA KARATE WORLD TOURNAMENT Report
Dear WMKA members around the World,
We want to inform you about the 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament.
The following statement was made by the governor of Okinawa (prior to the event) and is borrowed from in the 2nd Okinawa Karate World Tournament 2022 catalog:
“This year Okinawa marks the 50th year anniversary since its reversion to Japan from U.S. rule, and we believe that this tournament, held at such a milestone, will attract a general deal of attention from both within and outside of Japan. About 800 karate enthusiasts from 27 countries and regions around the world will participate in general tournament, along with about 1,400 boys and girls in the 1st OKINAWA KARATE WORLD JUNIOR TOURNAMENT.” In addition, about 800 individuals will participate in Okinawa Karate Seminars.”
The participants in the “The 2nd OKINAWA KARATE WORLD TOURNAMENT 2022” were fewer compared to “The 1st OKINAWA KARATE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT 2018” because of the Covid-19 Pandemic throughout the world. WMKA Okinawa Headquarters sent 12 personnel including president Taira and vice president Arakaki to the “Expert Committees” as seminar instructors and judges or staff. WMKA members participated in the opening ceremony, a group demonstration and in the kata tournament. WMKA participants included 30 members from Okinawa, 5 from mainland Japan, 15 from Australia (as led by Mr. Reece Cummings) and Mr. Kugan Sundarmurthy from India. We performed Fukyugata 1 & Wankan for the group demonstration. Mr. Reece Cummings also demonstrated Wanshu as a solo and was one of eight Individual performers from the Okinawa Karate and Kobudo organizations.
We had two medal winners in Shuri-te and Tomari-te Kei (Ryuha). Ms. Mayumi Horikawa Renshi 6th dan from Okinawa won the Silver medal in the Adult Female Senior category (60 and above). Mr. Minoru Yoneda 5th Dan from Osaka, mainland Japan won Bronze medal in the Adult Male II category (40 to 59). Mr. Reece Cummings received his 5th dan and Mr. Kugan Sundarmurthy his 4th dan at special dan evaluation test during the events.The Okinawa government wants to regularize “The OKINAWA KARATE WORLD TOURNAMENT” within Winter Olympic year. I hope you will be aware of it and will plan to visit Okinawa and attend the events in your future karate life.
Best regards,
Riki Nomura
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