THE BEST. Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii receives a trophy as a major awardee in karate during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night on March 6, 2023. The world's No. 3 Tsukii will lead the national team going to Turkey on April 9, 2023 for a three-week training camp in preparation for the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games next month. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – The Philippine karate team will leave on April 9 to attend a three-week training camp at Halkali Ifa in Istanbul, Turkey.
The athletes will be accompanied by Filipino coach Junnel Perenia and Turkish coach Levent Aydemir.
Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii, the world's No. 3 who bagged the gold medal in the minus 50kg category at the 2022 World Games, will lead the squad composed of Jamie Christine Lim, Arianne Isabel Brito, Remon Misu, Maryanne Jenelle Montalvo, Jayson Ramil Macaalay, Ivan Christopher Agustin, John Christian Lachica, John Matthew Manantan, John Kyle Tabilog, Alwyn Batican, Prince Izmen Louis Alejo and Kim Masayuki Torres.
Aydemir said the camp will determine the 11 karatekas who will compete in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games scheduled from May 5 to 17 in Cambodia.
"The purpose of the camp is to develop the skills of the athletes. We'll see who are going to Cambodia," Aydemir said in an interview on Tuesday.
The Philippines bagged eight bronze medals and finished sixth behind host Vietnam (7 golds, 2 silvers and 6 bronzes), Indonesia (4-8-2), Malaysia (4-0-6), Thailand (0-4-5) and Laos (0-1-0) in the SEA Games last year.
When it hosted the 2019 edition, the Philippines was fifth with two gold, one silver and nine bronze medals. The two gold medalists were Tsukii (-55kg) and Lim (+61kg).
"They will train to succeed and fight to succeed," Aydemir said.
He arrived in Manila on January 17, taking over the national team while compatriot Arpa Okay is away.
Aydemir served as Türkiye's national team head coach from 2009 to 2022. He also handled the deaf national team (2012-2022) and the Kuwait national team (2001-2008). He has produced many Asian, European and World champions.
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Turkey won four medals –one silver from Eray Samdan (men's kumite minus 67kg) and three bronzes courtesy of Ugur Aktas (men's kumite plus 75kg), Ali Sofuoglu (men's kata) and Merve Coban (women's minus 61kg). (PNA)
