Philippine karate body hoping for sport's reinstatement in 2024 Olympics

MANILA, Philippines – Karate, a martial arts sport where the country has a chance to capture a medal, could be reinstated in the 2024 Paris Olympics calendar.

Karate Pilipinas president Richard Lim on Tuesday said there is a glimmer of hope that the sport will be reenlisted to the Paris Games schedule after pleas by France’s breakthrough Olympic gold medalist Steven de Costa and other countries including the Philippines have gained fruition.

“They removed karate in Paris because they feel mas makakakuha sila medal in other sports,” said Lim during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

“But they won one gold and France is trying to pull it back kaya we’re still hoping and praying matanggap ‘yun,” he added.

The sport finally appeared in the Tokyo Games last August after a long battle dating back to the 70s.

But France decided to pull the plug and replace it with surfing and sports climbing, which the Paris organizers think is more popular in social media despite the gold delivered by its very own de Costa.

While not one Filipino qualified in Tokyo, the country has one bet ranked No. 2 in the world in the women’s -55-kilogram division in kumite and is a strong Olympic contender — Fil-Japanese Junna Tsukii.

“There’s still hope, and we’re holding on that hope. It’s up to the (French) government now to decide,” said Lim.

Meanwhile, the country has trained its sights in competing in the World Championships slated Nov. 16-21 in Dubai and the Asian Championship in set Dec. 19-22 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“It’s going to be my first World Championships so I’m excited,” said Jaime Lim, who will spearhead the Nationals that included Tsukii, Joco Vasquez and Sarah Pangilinan.