MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Medan Mayor Rico Waas has given his full support to the plan of the Indonesian Karate-Do Sports Federation (FORKI) Medan to organize the Karate Open Tournament for the Medan Mayor's Cup. The event is part of sports development efforts and also serves as a platform to discover talented young karate athletes in Medan.
Rico Waas expressed his support during a meeting with
FORKI Medan board members at the Medan Mayor's official residence on Jalan Sudirman, Tuesday, August 4, 2026. During the meeting,
FORKI Medan officials presented preparations for the tournament, which will involve hundreds of karate athletes from various clubs.
Open Tournament as a Platform for Athlete Development
FORKI Medan Chairman Yudi Atmaja said the
Karate Open Tournament for the Medan Mayor's Cup will be held from September 4 to 6, 2026, at Gedung Kebun Bunga, Medan. The competition is open to participants from student categories, institutions, and the general division.
The tournament will feature two main categories organized by FORKI Medan, namely Kata, which focuses on form and technical performances, and Kumite, which involves direct combat competition. Both categories provide athletes with opportunities to improve their technical abilities, mental strength, and competitive experience.
FORKI Medan estimates that around 800 participants will take part in the championship. The athletes will come from 23 karate clubs affiliated with
FORKI Medan.
Yudi Atmaja emphasized that the tournament is not solely aimed at determining winners but also serves as a continuous athlete development program. Through this event, young students with strong potential are expected to receive support and guidance to grow into high-performing karate athletes.
Rico Waas Encourages the Growth of New Karate Talents
Medan Mayor Rico Waas welcomed the planned implementation of the Karate Open Tournament for the Medan Mayor's Cup. He believes that sporting events of this kind play an important role in establishing a sustainable system for developing young athletes in Medan.
Rico Waas views large-scale competitions with many participants as valuable opportunities to observe the abilities of
young athletes and identify new talents who can represent Medan at regional and national levels in the future.
"This is a very interesting event. We especially hope that it can support the development of young karate athletes. Hopefully, the event will run successfully so that new talents can emerge and new athletes can be produced, allowing karate in Medan to continue improving," Rico Waas said.
During the meeting,
Rico Waas was accompanied by Government Assistant HM Sofyan, Head of the Medan Youth and Sports Agency Tengku Chairuniza, and Head of the Medan Education and Culture Agency Ahmad Barli Mulia Nasution.
FORKI Medan Targets 800 Participants
The participation of hundreds of athletes in the
Karate Open Tournament for the Medan Mayor's Cup is expected to further strengthen the development of karate in Medan.
FORKI Medan is optimistic that the competition will produce
young athletes with strong competitiveness and prepare them for various future championships.
Beyond the sporting competition, the tournament will also serve as an opportunity to strengthen relationships among karate clubs in Medan. Through structured competitions, FORKI aims to continue advancing karate development and produce more potential athletes.
The Medan City Government, through the support of Mayor
Rico Waas, continues to encourage various sports activities focused on developing the younger generation. Support for the FORKI event represents another step toward strengthening sporting achievements in Medan.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala