The Lagos State Karate Referees Association yesterday said it would on June 3 organise U-21 Kata Championships for its athletes.
The championships, which are expected to feature 200 athletes across the state, is scheduled for the Table Tennis Knock-up Hall at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Mac Brown, the State chairman of the association told newsmen in Lagos that the competition was to prepare the state ahead of major future international competitions.
“This is the first time we will be organising the U-21 Kata Championships. We felt it was necessary since karate will be featured in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“It will not be fair for us to be caught unawares when there are major international competitions,’’ he said.
Brown said that it became imperative to also create a data-base for athletes that would participate at the event.
He also said that the intending athletes were expected to come along with their birth certificates, to ascertain their real ages.
“We are clamouring that athletes should come with their birth certificates because we have learnt from experience that a lot of these athletes give false ages.
“If this age falsification continues, we won’t get it right in our sports,’’ he said.
The various categories that would feature at this championships are from 18 to 20 years, 16 to 17 years, 14 to15 years, 11 to 13 years, 8 to 10 years and five to seven years.
Kata consists of many gymnastic movements, in which various offensive and defensive techniques are arranged harmoniously.
The movements allow the student to understand the relationship between the spirit and body, since kata are designed to develop them effectively.