The karate competition for the 73rd Chugoku Five University Student Tournament was held on August 27 at the Shimizu Memorial Gymnasium at the Tsushima Campus of Okayama University, organized by the University karate team.
　
In the karate competition at the tournament, competitors compete for rankings in the men’s and women’s team competition and individual kumite (sparring) events. This year was the first event in three years, and some universities did not participate due to COVID-19. The title was fought out between Yamaguchi University, Shimane University and Okayama University in the men’s division, and Yamaguchi University and Okayama University in the women’s division.
　
In the men’s team competition, Yamaguchi University claimed victory with two wins, and Okayama University was runner up with one win and one loss. In the women’s team competition, Yamaguchi University beat Okayama University to claim the title. In the men’s kumite competition, NOGAWA Daiya (School of Engineering, second year) of the Okayama University karate team beat SUZUKI Ryotaro of Yamaguchi University in the final to claim victory. In the women’s kumite competition, NAGAHAMA Sumire (School of Education, second year) of the same team beat Yamaguchi University’s YAMANAGA Riho, resulting in a double victory for Okayama University.
　
Reflecting on the tournament, team captain YOKOMI Tomonori (School of Education, fourth year) said, “even though the tournament kept getting cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were finally able to hold it after three years. I’m really happy. I’m sure that everyone - the athletes from each university and the people involved in the event - feels the same way too. As the Okayama University karate team, it’s unfortunate that we didn’t win the team competition, but we were able to win both the women’s and men’s divisions for the individual competition, so we were able to show the results of our training. I’m really thankful that we were able to experience the joy of being able to put on matches, not just winning, and the joy of being able to interact with the athletes from other universities and everyone involved.”