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Tokyo 2020 comes too early for karate kid's Olympic dream

11 Comments
By Alastair HIMMER

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11 Comments
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While i agree Karate seems a more appropriate olympic sport, its obvious why they chose the ones they did - they have more young people appeal.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Somewhere recently it was mentioned that breakdancing was selected as the sport which has appeal to the host nation. I really don't get why it was chosen over something more interesting like parkour. Perhaps the cost of the arena had something to do with that decision?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Karate is an art. It's not hockey, or even ice dancing. For the sport to be excluded from the Paris 2024 Olympics, after a debut at Tokyo's, next year, is worse than a travesty to sport and art, mixed together. Ice dancing? Gag me with a spoon!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

She's awesome! Would be nice if she could participate in some demonstrative sort of way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Trading blows with man twice her age. Yes, because it's entirely scripted. People get a false sense that a 13 year old black belt and a 30 year old black belt are the same, or that a grown man wouldn't be able to totally thrash this girl once he gets his hands on her. Maybe defending herself against those her own age generally speaking, but someone bigger/stronger, her karate will be of little to no help.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Karate had its chances and it's gone.

2028 LA Olympics will add American Football as the added sport, leaving no room for stuff like Karate.

Karate-Kas can switch over to Taekwondo and pursue their Olympic dreams, however.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"Mahiro is the fresh face of a form of warrior combat dating back centuries to what is now Okinawa, in subtropical southern Japan."

Actually, Karate comes from China and came in through Okinawa, hence the original Chinese characters (Kanji): 唐手. Anyway, shame she won't be old enough, since it sounds like she could take many older, bigger people on, but them's the rules. You always hear about nations complaining when it's one of their athletes is too young, but there are good reasons for the age limits.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Trading blows with man twice her age. Yes, because it's entirely scripted.

She's a pin-up

"It gives me incentive to compete at future Olympics when I'm bigger," said the karate pin-up.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Keep the faith. You'll get to the Olympics in the future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Actually, Karate comes from China and came in through Okinawa"

Karate did NOT come from China!

Chinese Kung Fu influences, mainly Southern White Crane did; together with the Ryukyuan Te it resulted in 唐手, to denote an empty hand form of combat with Chinese influences. That was karate then.

Nor brought to Ryukyu (as there was no Okinawa then) ready, the prêt-à-porter form.

South China Crane versus Ryukyu Te, resulted in 唐手, to denote its influences.

Enters Japan and the pseudo-Ryukyu "independence" is put to bet, once and for all.

Japan incorporates mainland styles into Te, revamps the entire set of rules/language/phraseology, gives it a white, judo inspired uniform and a belting system.

The 唐手 is changed to 空手 to reassert that the art had by then changed markedly from the original "China hand".

I'm a long "customer" in the dojo and happen to also know a bit of the history; unlike some it seems.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Im glad karate has no future in the Olympics beyond 2020. Why would anyone want it to become sullied and corrupted. Look what has become of Olympic judo.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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