The city of Guayaquil in Ecuador hosts the 30th edition of the PKF Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships. The best underage karatekas in the continent will fight for the medals as they will try to further demonstrate the impact of the sport in young ages. 

The city of Guayaquil in Ecuador hosts the 30th edition of the PKF Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships. The best underage karatekas in the continent will fight for the medals as they will try to further demonstrate the impact of the sport in young ages. 

Nearly 900 competitors from 21 ries have confirmed their participation at the 2019 PKF Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships. This tally represents a remarkable increase with previous editions since 727 athletes from 21 nations took part at the event last year in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and 774 competitors from 25 ries gathered at the 2017 underage continental championships in Buenos Aires (Argentina). 

The competition is scheduled to start on Thursday, August 29 with the first categories at stake. Finals will be celebrated at the end of each competition day. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, September 1. The event comprises 49 categories, including U14, Cadet, Junior and U21. 

Brazil topped the medal table of the last edition of the event which was held last year in Rio de Janeiro. The host nation finished the tournament with 36 medals including 12 golds. Venezuela with 22 medals and seven golds and the United States with 25 medals and seven golds also completed remarkable performances last year. 

The competition in Guayaquil will put the spotlight on the future stars of the sport. Up-and-coming young karatekas will try to use the opportunity to start making a name for themselves in the international scene. 

CLICK HERE for more information on the 2019 PKF Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships