DAVAO CITY — The Karate Pilipinas Sports Foundation Incorporated (KPSFI) Region XI Chapter will see action in the coming Karate One Youth Championships from 14 to 17 May at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

KPSFI Region XI Director and Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) chief instructor Rommel Tan said their goal is to see action in the national championships in Tagaytay for a chance to gain spots in the national squad that will see action in various international tournaments.

“We aim to compete first in the National Championships this March in Tagaytay City for a slot to the national team then to the Karate One Youth Championship. That is why our Dabawenyo karatekas are on rigid training,” Tan said during the weekly Davao Sportswriters Association Forum.

Tan added that around 100 countries are expected to participate in the Karate One Youth Championships making it the largest karate event to be staged in the country since the 2024 Asian Youth (Cadet, Junior and U21) Karate Championships held at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The Karate One-Youth League is an international competition for karate athletes aged 14 to 17. The 2026 series will begin in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates from 12 to 15 February followed by tourneys in Harare, Zimbabwe from 27 to 29 March before heading to Manila.

Other scheduled stops include Porec, Croatia from 2 to 5 July, Guadalajara, Mexico from 17 to 21 September, and Venice, Italy from 10 to 13 December.

Aside from their rigid practices, the KPSFI Region XI will be holding the AAK Mindanao Kumite Training Camp which will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the AAK Davao gym where national team mainstay Sonny Montalvo will be holding camp.

“It will be exclusive to AAK clubs in Mindanao namely General Santos City, Cagayan de Oro and Davao,” Tan said.