Kelum, Lamini to participate in Karate World Tournament

Channa BANDARA WIJEKOON

Sensei Kelum Herath Gunarathna and Sensei Lamini Alwis, two Kyokushin 2nd Dan Black Belters and senior students of Shihan T. Nanda Siriwardena (5th Dan Black Belt), will participate in the 10th open World Karate Tournament, to be held at Kyokushin Kai Kan headquarters in Tokyo, Japan later this month.

Sensei Kelum Herath Gunarathna

Sensei Lamini Alwis

Sensei Kelum Herath Gunarathna will be participating in the World Tournament while Sensei Lamini Alwis will be participating in the World Friendship Tournament under heavy weight category. Selection tournaments were held in Philippines.

The world tournament which is the ultimatum of all battles in karate is organized by International Kyokushin Kai Kan Organization in Japan. It had gained great respect and reputation throughout the years from the martial arts genre in the world. Sri Lanka will be participating in the tournament for the tenth occasion.

The first World tournament was held in 1975 under direction of Sosai Oyama. World championships have been held at four-yearly intervals since then.

The Guru of the two participants Shihan T. Nanda Siriwardena who has participated in the world tournaments in 1975 and 1979, is the Director and Branch Chief of International Kyokushin Kai Kan Organization in Sri Lanka.

Shihan Siriwardena is the only Sri Lankan student trained by Sosai Masutatsu Oyama himself, father and founder of Kyokushin full-contact karate.