The National title champions for Karate will take place this year at Kimbe, in West New Britain Province.
After the tournament in Kimbe, the executives and committee for PNG Karate Federation will be selecting a development team to start preparing towards the Pacific Games.
National Coach Sensei Julias Piku said the squad for the International Championship will compromise a 17 men squad. They are hoping to have a 17 men squad around April, with their main athletes to come from Lae and Port Moresby as well as outside provinces.
“Our focus is preparing them to have a good mindset so by then they will posses the right champion mindset. On that same note, encouraging them on a good sporting attitude and to believe in themselves”.
“We want to be the best receiving more gold medals, in the National Olympics”.
“PNG High Performance Centre is going to assist us to make sure the athletes are well and fit to represent the country”.
Meanwhile, East Gate Karate Academy have resumed classes and is now open to interested individuals to join.
The registration fee is K250 for the whole year and will be closing on the 20th of February.
Teacher Sensei Julias Piku said, the East Gate Karate Academy has been operating for three years and they are affiliated to the National PNG Karate federation which they do selections for their athletes to represent team PNG in national tournaments.
Mr. Piku added, there are two classes they run, and they are the kids classes and the adult classes along with those coming in as first timers.
“For kids classes, they are from the age ranging from 5 to 6 where as the adult is a combination of teenagers between the ages of 12 to 17 and adults 18 and above”.
“Their training sessions are Saturdays and Sundays and they usually pay a fee of K20. On Mondays and Tuesdays, we allow them to do their private training starting 10am to 3pm in the afternoon”.
The East Gate Karate Academy will be conducting their annual grading for athletes at the end of this year on the 11th of December. According to Mr. Piku, last year 60 plus athletes successfully passed the test and he is looking forward for more to be in the annual grading this year.
Tests will cover receiving belts for the yellow belts, orange belt, green belt, blue belt, purple belt, and brown belt. Mr. Piku explained, for the black belts they usually send their athlete to go through annual grading at the Brisbane Headquaters.
“There is one athlete, Andrew Molen he will be traveling to Brisbane to do his black belt there”.