The recent Asian Karate Championships in Manila were notably subdued compared to previous years. The tournament, which featured Junior, Cadet, and U21 categories, concluded with China as the most significant absentee. This was particularly striking given that China had previously hosted the championships in 2009 and 2011. Tajikistan also opted out of this year’s event.
From Friday, 23rd August, athletes from 30 Asian countries competed over three days in 38 categories across Kata and Kumite. Japan lived up to expectations, dominating the competition with 16 gold medals and securing the top position. Iran followed with 10 gold medals, claiming second place, while Kazakhstan, with just 4 gold medals, finished in third. Despite fielding a substantial number of athletes, the host nation could only secure two bronze medals.
Japan once again demonstrated its unmatched prowess in both talent development and strategic planning for its senior national karate team. Japanese karate remains a step ahead of its Asian counterparts, with many referees and experts suggesting that Japan’s achievements deserved more recognition than the one gold medals won at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
KARATE EXCLUDED FROM THE 2025 SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES
Karate has been removed from the roster of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games. While Malaysia has advocated for its reinstatement, there is no confirmation yet that karate will be included in the games hosted by Thailand.
The statistical analysis of the Asian Championships in the Philippines reveals a concerning lack of enthusiasm among Asian youth for the sport. None of the categories reached their full capacity. Despite participation from 30 countries, only two categories—Male Juniors under 61 kg and Male Junior Kata—attracted the highest turnout with 23 competitors. In six categories, participation was in single digits. It is worth noting that Asia, being the most populous continent, should ideally show greater interest.
None of the 11 Southeast Asian countries secured a gold medal at the Championships. Vietnam and Thailand ranked ninth and tenth, respectively, while Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and India finished in twelfth, fifteenth, seventeenth, nineteenth, and twenty-fourth positions.
