By Ashley Bercasio
Filipina-Japanese Junna Tsukii will represent the Philippines in the karate events of the 2022 World Games slated from July 7-17 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Tsukii, the world’s no. 5 in the women’s kumite -50-kilogram category, was the first ever Filipino karateka to qualify for the World Games after earning an outright slot due to her high placement in the world rankings.
The 30-year-oldTsukii sees the upcoming World Games as one of the bigger competitions following the removal of karate in the 2024 Paris Olympics after making its first appearance in Tokyo last year.
“For us, the second biggest competition is the World Games,” said Tsukii in an exclusive interview with PTV Sports’ Champ de Lunas.
Tsukii set aside her frustrations after a foiled Olympic qualification bid and spent the past few months training in Serbia and New York in preparation for the Alabama tilt.
“If we don’t have purpose or a goal, sometimes, we can’t keep on standing or keep moving. That’s my second biggest goal after Olympics. I prepared since that time, so, almost one year,” Tsukii explained.
“When I had official information that I could play, I made my program until the World Games. I researched my opponents, fixed my techniques or technicals of the game situation.”
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist will face stiff competition in the -50kg class which includes world no. 1 Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu of Turkey.
But for Tsukii, the toughest challenge will come from her nemeses.
“First is the one who had a gold medal from Japan,” remarked Tsukii who’s referring to Miho Miyahara, the 2021 World Karate Championships gold medalist.
Tsukii is also wary of Shara Hubrich, who’s currently the world’s no. 4, and Venezuelan Yorgelis Salazar Camacho, the world’s no. two.
“We’re similar, we’re always fighting each other, from Germany, she (Hubrich) was second from the World Championship. And last, from Venezuela, she (Camacho) got gold a few months ago in Premier League,” Tsukii said.
But having shared numerous battles with her World Games opponents, Tsukii knows that it takes more than physical training to bring home the gold medal.
“I’m just preparing my mind because we know each other too much. We know how she moves, they know how I move, so, the last moment is not about technique, it’s about your mental (fortitude).”
Tsukii is one of nine Filipino athletes that qualified for the World Games. Also participating are Philip Delarmino and Leeana Bade of Muay Thai, 2017 gold medal winner Carlo Biado and Rubilen Amit of billiards, Kim Mangrobang and Fernando Casares of duathlon, Annie Ramirez of Jiu-jitsu and Joyce Gail Reboton of powerlifting. – gb
