All you need to know about Karate at Asian Games

WHAT

• The Asian Games are the biggest multi-sport event being held in the continent.
• Held every four years, the Asian Games reach its 19^th edition.  
• The last edition of the event was held in 2018 in Indonesia. Originally scheduled for 2022, the Asian Games were postponed to 2023 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• It is the eighth time that Karate has been included in the sports programme of Asia’s biggest multi-sport event.

WHERE

• The 2023 edition of the Asian Games is held in Hangzhou (China).
• The Karate competition will take place at Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium.
• China is a major powerhouse nation of the sport in Asia and have hosted many top international events, including continental championships and the 2019 Karate 1-Premier League in Shanghai.

WHEN

• The Karate competition of the 2023 Asian Games is scheduled for October 5 to 8.
• Finals are held at the end of each competition day.
• The first day of the competition has the categories of Male and Female Kata, Male Kumite -75kg, and Female Kumite -68kg taking the stage.
• Day 2 of Karate action has the divisions of Male Kumite -60kg, Female Team Kata, Male Kumite +84kg, and Female Kumite -61kg on the schedule.
• The categories to be held on Day 3 are Male Kumite -84kg, Female Kumite -55kg, Male Kumite -67kg, and Female Kumite +68kg.
• The last day will be focused on Male Team Kata, and Female Kumite -520kg.  

WHO

• No less than 208 athletes from 35 nations will participate in the Karate event of the Asian Games.        
• A host of 13 Olympians will fight for the medals in Hangzhou, such as:
• Olympic Games gold medallist Sajad Ganzjadeh of Iran in Male Kumite +84kg
• Olympic Games silver medallist Tareq Hamedi of Saudi Arabia in Male Kumite +84kg
• Olympic Games Bronze medallists Mo Sheung Grace Lau of Hong Kong in Female Kata, Li Gong of China in Female Kumite -68kg, Sofya Berultseva of Kazakhstan in Female Kumite +68kg, Abdel Rahman Almasatfa of Jordan in Male Kumite -67kg
• Olympians Miho Miyahara of Japan in Female Kumite -50kg, Sara Bahmanyar of Iran in Female Kumite -50kg, Moldir Zhangbyrbay of Kazakhstan in Female Kumite -50kg, Heejun Park of Korea in Male Kata, Mohammed Sayed Almosawi of Kuwait in Male Kata, Nurkanat Azhikanov of Kazakhstan in Male Kumite -75kg, and Daniyar Yuldashev of Kazahkstan in Male Kumite +84kg.
• The host nation of China will compete with four athletes, including Olympic Games bronze medallist and Chinese Karate Star Li Gong in Female Kumite -68kg. Two-time Asian Championships medallist Jiamei Ding in Female Kumite -55kg, 2023 Asian Championships runner-up Li Qiaoqiao in Female Kumite -68kg, and two-time Asian Championships medallist Li Ranran in Female Kumite -50kg complete the Chinese delegation in Hangzhou.
• Japan top the historic medal list of Karate at the Asian Games with a total of 49 medals, including 30 golds. Iran and Malaysia take second and third positions in the historic medal table.

2023 ASIAN GAMES