Qatar Int’l Karate Championship starts today

Top Karatekas from 11 countries will be seen in action at the Qatar International Karate Championship opening here today at the Al Sadd indoor hall.Around eighty participants will compete for top honours in six individual and one team event at the two-day championships, Qatar Karate Federation (QKF) officials said.Karatekas from England, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, UAE, Kuwait, Sudan, Morocco and Qatar have confirmed participation in the championship.QKF General Secretary Eid Ali al-Muraikhi said, “Winner in each category will receive 550 euros, while the second place finisher will get 300 euros, the two third place finishers will get 150 euros each.”Six individual events and in one Kumite team event will be held during the championship.“Each of the eleven countries taking part will field four players in the individual event while in the team event five players will take to the floor and two will be on the reserve bench,” al-Muraikhi said.The QKF official informed that a large number of match officials, coaches and office bearers of the world karate governing body will be in Doha for the event. “We have made arrangements for the arrival of around 40 officials. All the officials will be in Doha today,” he said. The QKF, he said are leaving no stone unturned for the successful conduct of the championship.“We are hosting this international championship for the first time and we working round the clock to make it a huge success. All the arrangements are in place and the various committees have met several times. It is a good learning experience for all of us in organising a big event like this,” he said.QKF Executive Director Adel al-Marzouqi and QKF Technical Expert Rashid Mohammed Herald were also present during the press briefing.