SOLOMON Islands national Karate team has won four bronze medals in the recently held Oceania Karate Federation Championship in New Zealand.
Solomon Islands won bronze in the men’s 75kg and women’s 55kg, 50kg and 61kg weight categories.
Joe Kwasui won bronze medal in the men’s 75kg and while Jacinta Uriga, Mary Liu and Hazel Uate’e won bronze in the women’s 61kg, 55kg and 50kg respectively.
The four athletes are amongst 12 Karate athletes that competed in the competition.
This is a big achievement as it is the first time for these athletes to compete abroad.
Sport Development Officer for Karate and Coach under the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI), Selwyn Kuru recently stated that Karate’s aim is to win medals for Solomon Islands.
Winning medals in big competitions such as the Oceania Karate Federation Championship is a boost to Karate’s preparations towards winning medals in the Pacific Games in November.
“Our build up so far, our aim for this Pacific Games in Karate, we are aiming medals.
“We do not want to miss a medal. From observation the team is heating up for achievement, and I don’t know which medals , but I hope, I am confident that bit by bit building up, we can be one of the games that will get a medal for Solomon Islands,” he told SINIS Media.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
Solomon Star, Honiara
