Ryukyu Shimpo Digital Extra – Kiyuna selected to represent Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Men’s Karate Kata competition December 1, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Ryukyu Shimpo Digital Extra – Kiyuna selected to represent Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Men’s Karate Kata competition December 1, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Ryo Kiyuna


December 1, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

Ryo Kiyuna, 29, Ryueiryu-ryuhokai, along with two others, were the first to be selected to represent Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Kata competition for Karate, a sport that was born in Okinawa and will be at the Olympics for the first time, after satisfying the selection criteria set by the Japan Karate Federation (JKF).

He is the first Okinawan native to be selected for the Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, Kiyo Shimizu, 25, Miki House, was selected for the Women’s Kata, and Ken Nishimura, 23, Champ, was selected for the 75 kg division of the Kumite.

The JKF has stipulated that they will focus their selections on the top two athletes in the Work Karate Federation’s 2020 Olympic Rankings, which will be announced January first 2020.

Additionally, if one of the two Karateka create a point differential of 2,000 points or more by Premier League Paris 2020, which will also be held in January, they will make a “tentative offer” to that athlete. The three Karateka selected have already achieved both of these criteria by December 1, with the completion of Premier League Madrid 2019.

All of the Karateka from each country will be selected by April 6 of 2020, based on criteria such as the WKF Olympic ranking. On the same day, the JKF will make their “Official Selections” as well.

Another Okinawa native, Hirokazu Ueyonabaru, 48, was also tentatively offered a spot at the Tokyo Paralympics in the wheelchair race.

(English Translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)

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