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| A sparring performance at the championship. Photo: Loc Le |
Nearly 600 athletes from Suzucho Karate-Do clubs in the United States, Australia, and 27 provinces and cities across Vietnam faced off in the tournament, which featured knockout-format events in kata (forms) and kumite (sparring).
Relatively balanced in skill levels and well-prepared in technique and tactics, the athletes treated spectators to a series of dramatic and engaging showdowns.
According to the organizers, the tournament did not focus mainly on rankings. Its primary goal is to promote the practice of Karate-Do, improve professional skills and techniques, and strengthen connections and solidarity among practitioners of this school worldwide.
Founded by Grandmaster Choji Suzuki, the Suzucho Karate-Do School of Vietnam boasts more than 15,000 practitioners around the globe. The school’s dojo is at No. 8 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Hue City, with Master Le Van Thanh, a 9th-degree black belt, as the head instructor.
Today, the Suzucho school stands as a symbol of Karate with a Vietnamese identity. Its spirit and techniques have significantly contributed to Vietnam’s successes in Karate, earning an array of medals at regional, continental, and global tournaments.