The 20th WKF World Senior Karate Championship will be held in Belgrade, Serbia from 28-31 October 2010. This is the premier world event for the World Karate Federation which is the international governing body for karate recognised by the IOC.
In the last two world championships New Zealand has reached the last six in individual competition. In 2006 at the 18th World Karate Championship held in Tampere, Finland, Sophie Savill of Christchurch, narrowly lost the bronze medal match to Jessica Bratich of Australia. Sophie placed 5th equal in the Women's +60kg Kumite. In 2008 at the 19th Senior World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan, 16 year old Chris Rahardja of Auckland reached the last six in the Men's Individual Kata. The Rosmini College student belied his relative youth but lost to Minh Dak of France in the bronze medal match.
Having reached the medal rounds in the last two world championships, Karate New Zealand hopes that this year will see our first medal at a senior world championship. New Zealand has won medals at Junior and Cadet World Championships in 2001, 2005 and 2009, at World Universities Championships in 2000 and 2008 and at the World Games in 2009. We are confident that we are now on the verge of medal success in the pinnacle event of world karate.
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