Fourteen year-old Tamaki selected as a member of Japan’s national karate team

Fourteen year-old Tamaki selected as a member of Japan's national karate team

At Awa Elementary School, Awa, Nago City, Daigo Tamaki shows his enthusiasm towards competing at the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship.


July 19, 2011 yoshiya Hokama of Ryukyu Shimpo

Yabu Junior High School in Nago City third year student 14 year-old Daigo Tamaki has been selected as a candidate for the Japan Junior & Cadet Karate Team. He will participate in the Cadet category (14‐15 years of age) of the Kumite competition in the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship to be held in Beijing, China from July 19.
According to Tsuguo Sakumoto, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the WKF (World Karate Federation), Tamaki is the first person from Okinawa to participate in the Cadet category of the Asian Karate-do Championships. He represented Okinawa in a trial held at the Japan Karatedo Hall in Tokyo from May 6 to 8.

His aggressive style put pressure on his opponents, winning him selection as a candidate member of the Japan Junior & Cadet Karate Team in the over 70-kilogram weight class.
Before the championship, Tamaki honed his skills with his peers and seniors in a training camp held from June 24 to 26 at Japan Karatedo Hall.

Tamaki started learning Karate nine years ago when he was in kindergarten, practicing an Okinawan style of karate known as Ryuei-ryu.
He talked about appeal of practicing karate, saying, “After practicing really hard, I really feel fulfilled when I win individual bouts or competitions.”
While Tamaki currently belongs to his junior high school karate club, he also practices Ryuei-ryu during the holidays, so is constantly focused on his karate practice.

With regard to the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship, he indicated his desire to win, saying, “I intend to do my best to win the championship. I hope to make the people to whom I owe so much, such as my teachers and seniors, really proud of my efforts.”
Tamaki talked about his dream, saying, “I would like to stay as a member of the national karate team and become a world class exponent of karate in future.”

Karate Chairman Sakumoto, who also coaches Tamaki Ryuei-ryu, says, “I am very glad that Tamaki has been selected as a candidate member of the national karate team. I hope that he does well in future. He is one of Japan’s up-and-coming exponents of karate. The younger generation of people doing karate will be inspired to greater efforts if Tamaki does well in competitions in Asia and the on the wider international stage.”

(English Translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey）

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