1.
GV Tokyo National Stadium
0.06

2.
SV & CU Kyokushin director Oyama
0.13

3.
SV Fight between Kishi and Mingihing (5 shots)
0.42

4.
SV Audience
0.45

5.
SV Fight between Clarimono and Voigt (2 shots)
1.07

6.
SV Oyama looks on
1.10

7.
SV Fight between Fransson and Doege
1.39



Initials


SPORT: MARTIAL ARTS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The first ever World kyokushin Karate tournament opened in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday (1 November).

The opening day of the two day competition was devoted to elimination heats as 130 competitors from 35 countries battled fora place in the finals.

Kyokushin Karate was founded 25 years ago by the sport's current director, Mas Oyama. It differs from the well known Karate forms in that no punches "are pulled" during tournaments.

In the more accepted bouts staged by the Japanese Karate Federation, blows and kicks are halted at the last minute, but Kyokushin exponents consider this and karate's emphasis on breathing, style and spiritual self improvement a feeble shadow of the real thing.

Director Oyama considers Federation Karate to be a mere dance form.

Kyokushin lays claim to 1 1/2 million followers around the world.

While Federation Karate organisers consider it crude and a type of street fighting, the sport has over 500 dojos, or training centres, in 47 different countries.

In the first day's competition the shortest bout lasted less than the two minute time limit when Kishi of Japan, using Kyokushin, forced Hong Kong's Mingihing, using KungFu, to retire.

Asia's only defeat on the first day was handed out by the U.S.'s Clark on Singapore's Chu Gwan.