Makaf To Use Asian Karate Meet To Set Asiad Gold Medal Target 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Bernama) -- The national karate team will base their gold medal target at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games in China on their medal haul in the 19th Asian Karate Championships in Melaka from July 21-23.

Malaysian Karate Federation (MAKAF) president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad said 22 national exponents will compete in the championships at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh as preparation for the quadrennial Games, which will be held from Sept 23-Oct 8. 

However, he said exponent R. Shamendran will not compete in the Melaka championships due to injury and will continue to focus on getting ready for the Asiad.

“We have 26 exponents and seven of them - four men and three women - have qualified for the Asiad. So, I feel that we should have no problems raking in the medals… but I want them to strike gold in the Asian Games.

“I do not want to reveal the names of those targeted to win medals in Melaka, but whoever strikes gold will be expected to bring home the medals from the Asiad,” he told reporters during a press conference at the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil, here, today.

According to Nur Azmi, over 500 exponents from 32 countries are expected to compete in Melaka in 17 events - 11 men’s and women’s individual events and six men’s and women’s team events in the kata and kumite disciplines.

He also said that the second edition of the Asian Para Karate Championships will also be held simultaneously to ensure equal attention is given to the para exponents.

Malaysia last hosted the prestigious Asian Karate Championships in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan in 2007, with the national team bagging four gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

At the previous edition in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last year, kumite exponents S. Prem Kumar and Arif Afifuddin clinched bronze medals in the men’s below 55-kilogramme (kg) and below 84kg events.

-- BERNAMA