It’s all systems go ahead of the ninth edition of Mombasa Open Tong-IL Moo- Do Martial Arts Championship to be held at the Aga Khan Academy hall in Mombasa December 18 and 19.

Kenya Tong Il Moo Do Federation president Clarence Mwakio said foreign teams will start jetting in for the competition starting this Sunday.

Addressing a media briefing at the Federation offices in Mombasa on Saturday,Mwakio confirmed that Philippines and Thailand National team will land at the Moi International airport in Mombasa Sunday afternoon for the event.

All teams from Asia,Middle East and North and south America will start arriving from tomorrow throughout the week,for a five days warm up training ahead of the major competition,"said Mwaio.

Eight-time defending champions, Team Jasiri will be gearing to defend its title a 50-members squad, after a successful team selection that saw new player’s join to reinforce the squad.

“We made a selection of national team in Mombasa and Nairobi and we recruited a few more players in our team Jasiri and now we have formed a team of 50 players who include 14 female and 36 males,” Mwakio said in an interview in Mombasa.

The players will participate in both team and individual categories in form, sparring and special techniques.

"Kenyan team is in good form,the coach has confirmed to me that no injuries and they are ready to face the challenge,"said Mwakio adding that the government has offered to support the Federation, through the ministry of sports.

The squad is currently undergoing indoor training before they join other teams from the rest of the world in indoor A reasonable number of countries, according to the president, have responded positively, Covid-19 crisis notwithstanding.

“By now we have more than 20 countries which have confirmed their participation in this year’s tournament from Africa, Europe, and America continents,” Mwakio said

He said Kenya is confident of hosting a successful contest, considering that the preparations have been up to par in the past four months.

This year’s tournament will see a return of countries from South America and North America which lastly participated more than three years ago.

According to Mwakio, Turkey is expected to field more players this year after presenting a limited squad in last year’s tournament.

“We expect a stiff competition from the Philippines which has been our usual rivals as well as Iran which is endowed with talented players,” Mwakio said.

He noted that the tournament has received immense support from the government as well as from the leadership of World Tong Il Moo Do Federation.