Tamaki wins the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship

Tamaki wins the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship

Daigo Tamaki who won the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship, at Awa Elementary School, Awa, Nago City on July 27.


July 28, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Third-year student 14 year-old Daigo Tamaki of Yabu Junior High School in Nago City was victorious at the 11th Asian Karate-do Championship held in Beijing, China from July 19.
The first person from Okinawa to compete in the Cadet category (14‐15 years of age) of the Championship, Tamaki participated in the kumite competition in the over 70-kilogram weight class.

He took part in three matches. In the first of these he beat an opponent from the Chinese team with a score of 5-2, before defeating an opponent from Indonesia 6-5 in the semi finals. In the final, Tamaki had a close match with a boy from Taiwan, edging through with a score of 3-0 in extra time.

Young Tamaki had a huge smile on his face, as he said “Although I felt nervous in facing a local opponent in the first match, I was still able to fight cautiously and calmly in both the semi-final and the final, even when I had the upper hand.”

Tsuguo Sakumoto, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the World Karate Federation, celebrated Tamaki’s victory, saying “We have had team members from Okinawa win the kata competition in the Championships in the past, but we have never really managed a satisfactory performance in the kumite competition. Tamaki did very well.”

Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine congratulated Tamaki, saying, “Tamaki’s victory will inspire not only children who practice karate, but also those who participate in other sports. The city is proud to be producing people who make an impact all over Asia and the world. Tamaki has provided us with dreams and hopes.”

(English Translation by T&CT, Mark Ealey）

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