Japanese instructor for 3rd Saleh Karate Championship

JAPANESE instructor, Sensei Tomiko Mitsuoka will be part of the 3rd edition of the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship scheduled to hold from 1st to 5th June at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

 8th Dan Sensei Tomiko is one of the highest ranking female Instructors in Karate-do. She has trained for more than 40 years and is now World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation (WSKF) Shihan-kai Member, based in the UK.

According to Edward Obi, Secretary/Spokesperson WSKF Nigeria, there will be an all styles open ladies competition with a preceding open seminar for male and female, all grades and with a children class to be run by the visiting Chief Instructor, Sensei Tomiko.

 “Sensei Tomiko Mitsuoka will be here on schedule, we already have her word on it. She will be holding a seminar on the 1st and 2nd of June for everybody. It is open to all. She would be a judge and then supervisor for the rest of the tournament. So it's something I believe every female karatekas should endeavor to participate and it will be a great boost for female karate in the country.

Obi said the competition, the “Brain Child” of Hajiya Zainab Saleh, a 4th Dan Shotokan Karateka, the sponsor and also the technical director of Lagos State Karate Association, will go a long way in the development of female karate in the country.

 “We would like to appreciate the efforts of Hajiya Zainab Saleh, she has really held on until now for us to jump onto it, so it’s a real big deal on her part. I've seen so many competitions in Nigeria that has a lot of poor female attendant and I don't know why, but I think this is the answer. This is an event that will bring them out and show them to people and that would encourage other female karatekas to start training.”