Large participation eyed in PH kendo tournament

Some of the country’s top kendo athletes battle for honors when the 8th Philippine National Kendo Tournament fires off on Oct. 24 to 25 at the Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City. Organized by the United Kendo Federation of the Philippines, the two-day competition is expected to draw a large turnout all over the country. Registration details, competition guidelines and official match schedule will be released in the coming weeks. The first day of competition will have the shinsa or promotional examinations, which will be conducted for each participating athlete to evaluate their mastery in fundamental techniques, kata and full-contact sparring in pursuit of higher ranks. Single-elimination bouts for each class area also scheduled on opening day. The second day of competition, meanwhile, will have team categories in men’s 5-on-5 and women’s 3-on-3 events. The tournament aims to sustain the steady growth of kendo in the country following increased participation in recent editions and Team Philippines’ continued exposure in international competitions.