SOUTHEAST Asian Games gold medalists Junna Tsukii and Jamie Lim and bronze medalists Sarah Pangilinan and Joco Vasquez will compete in the World Karate Federation World Championships set from November 16 to 21 in the Hamdan Sports Complex bubble in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Karate Pilipinas President Ricky Lim said the lean but mean team would be vying against the world’s best but hopes that world No. 2 Tsukii (women’s -50 kgs) and Lim (women’s +61 kg) could bring their kumite gold medal-winning act from the 2019 SEA Games to Dubai.
Lim said that kata artists Pangilinan and Vasquez also stand a chance for a podium finish after earning productive experiences from the SEA Games two years ago and at the Tokyo Olympics qualifier in Paris in June.
“I have high hopes that we can have our very own first world champion [in karate],” Lim said. “I am a little bit confident now that we can achieve this and hoping Tsukii and even Jamie [Lim] could become a world champion.”
Jamie Lim and Vasquez have exited the Baguio City training bubble to prepare for their trip, while Tsukii will be flying to Dubai from her base in Serbia and Pangilinan from Japan.
The will be coached by Turkish Okay Arpa (kumite) and Chino Veguillas (kata).
Ricky Lim said Karate Pilipinas will also be recognized as a regular member in the international federation’s world congress.
Fifteen karatekas and five coaches remain in the Baguio City bubble as they prepare for the Asian championships from December 19 to 22 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.