Date: 18-21 November 2022
Place: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Organizer: Malaysia Branch (Branch Chief Kin Meng Chung)
The 18th Asia tournament supposedly to be held in Bangkok of Thailand in 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused almost all industries and sectors to go on a collective pause. Not to mention, various restrictions were implemented in terms of international travel, outdoor activity and mass gathering. As such, events such as tournaments and seminars that were considered as a norm in the culture of WKO were not able to be carried out.
After almost three years of delay, finally, WKO Asia region Board of Committee are proudly to share that the WKO Malaysia branch has successfully organised the 18th Asia Shinkyokushinkai Karate Open Championship, which was held from 18th to 21st November 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. A total of 101 fighters from 20 countries took part in the tournament. Beside fighters from Asia region, fighters from Mauritius (Africa region) also participated in the 18th Asia tournament. Because the 18th Asia tournament is open championship 3 fighters from Kenbukai Philippine, 1 from Super Kyokushin Singapore also joined the competition as well.
The championship was divided into five categories: the men`s lightweight, men`s middleweight, men`s light heavyweight, men`s heavyweight and women`s open weight category. The objective of the championship is for the development purposes of Full Contact Karate in Asia region. And the promotion of mutual friendship and the multiregional, multicultural interaction among Full Contact karate athletes in Asia countries. This 18th Asia tournament is also the selection championship of women`s representative fighters of Asia and Central Asia for 2023 World Championship in Tokyo, Japan. Tsz Ching Wong from Hong Kong and Valeriya Krestina from Kazakhstan have been selected as representative from Asia and Central Asia respectively.
During the period of Asia tournament, 26 Asia region Branch Chiefs have attended the Asia Branch Chief meeting held on 19th November 2022, Saturday at Sani Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The main agenda for the Asia Branch Chief meeting was the election of Asia president for the term from year 2023 to 2027. Shihan JB Sujoto from Indonesia has been successfully re-elected as WKO Asia President. On 21st November 2022 the day after the competition, Asia region level Dan test has been conducted. Total of 33 examinees joined the test and 31 passed the examination.
The results of the 18th Asia tournament
i) MEN`S LIGHTWEIGHT CATEGORY BELOW 65KG
1 UCHIDA RYUTARO (THAILAND)
2 ENKHBAYASGALAN AMGALAN (MONGOLIA)
3 GABRIEL YAP (MALAYSIA)
3 MICHEAL SAPUTRA (INDONESIA)
II) MEN`S MIDDLEWEIGHT CATEGORY BELOW 75KG
1 ARTUR KOVALENKO (KAZAKHSTAN)
2 DANIL MANOSHKIN (KAZAKHSTAN)
3 HIN WEN RICK TSANG (Hong Kong)
3 SHINYA IKEDA (TAIWAN)
III) MEN`S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BELOW 85KG
1 ZAKARIYYA OZEER (MAURITIUS)
2 ALLY LALLMAMODE (MAURITIUS)
3 HANG FUNG TEE (MALAYSIA)
3 PAK CHON NG (MACAU)
IV) MEN`S HEAVYWEIGHT ABOVE 85KG
1 RUSTAM AVZALOV (KAZAKHSTAN)
2 ROMAN EKIMOVSKIKH (VIETNAM)
3 PRADESHKUMAR VIJAYAN (MALAYSIA)
3 KENJI SORI (SUPER KYOKUSHIN SINGAPORE)
V) WOMEN`S OPEN WEIGHT CATEGORY
1 VALERIYA KRESTINA (KAZAKHSTAN)
2 TSZ CHING WONG (HONG KONG)
3 HANZEL MER DIANNE RAGUINE (PHILIPPINES)
3 ZERE KARIMOVA (KAZAKHSTAN)
