The future of Asian Karate meets this weekend in Malaysia as over 500 young karatekas will clash to become the new continental champions. The 18th edition of the AKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships takes place from April 26 to 28 in Kota Kinabalu where the young and promising athletes hope to be crowned with the continental title. 

The future of Asian Karate meets this weekend in Malaysia as over 500 young karatekas will clash to become the new continental champions. The 18th edition of the AKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships takes place from April 26 to 28 in Kota Kinabalu where young and promising Asian athletes hope to be crowned with the continental title. 

No less than 33 national federations will be represented in the event to be held at Likas Sports Complex in the Malaysian city.  Hosts of Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Iran and Japan present the largest delegations with 36 athletes respectively. The tournament will be a clash for the domination of underage Karate in the continent among the major Asian powerhouse nations. 

Japan topped the medal table of last year’s edition of the event after taking home 24 medals including 14 golds. Kazakhstan with 17 medals and five golds and Iran with 16 medals and five golds also registered deserving performances at the event which was held in Okinawa (Japan).

The tournament last year helped to crown some of the most impressive young competitors of the sport such as Yusei Sakiyama of Japan who went to win gold at the Karate 1-Premier League Berlin a few months after becoming Asian champion, or Japan’s Yuki Kujuro who has taken two medals in Karate 1-Series A events ever since winning the continental title.

Karatekas who represented the sport at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires such as Japan’s Keisei Sakiyama and Rinka Tahata or Iran’s Fatemeh Khonakdartarsi also prevailed at the event last year.