Two-day Africa Karate-Do Championship opens in Accra

Accra, Aug. 5, GNA – A two-day Africa Union Karate-Do (UFAK) Karate-Do Championship opened on Friday, August 5, at the Sports Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Championship, which is in its 13th edition, dubbed “13 TIKA Zone 3 Senior UFAK Championship”, had five other African countries joining host country, Ghana for the championship.

The event forms part of efforts by UFAK to promote the sport on the continent as well as provide Karate-Kas the opportunity to assess themselves for the impending All Africa Games.

Patrick Anyidoho, Secretary-General of the Ghana Karate-Do Association, said that each of the participating countries will have an opportunity to examine their strengths for the continental Games slated for Maputo, Zimbabwe.

Anyidoho said countries in the zone will after the championship determine whether to participate in the discipline at the All Africa Games as well as the number of their Karate-Kas and the weight categories they are to compete in.

He said the event will serve as an appropriate platform ahead of the Games.

According to Anyidoho, Ghana has selected 20 Karate-Kas for the championship and was confident that they will make the desired impact at the All Africa Games.

The championship was preceded by a technical training course for referees, judges and coaches.

The two day championship was under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA).

The participating countries are made up of Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Niger and Burkina Faso.