The 12th edition of the Mombasa Open Tong-IL Moo-Do International Martial Arts Championship 2024 has attracted 578 players in the event history at the port city of Mombasa in Kenya.
Among the confirmed participants are 328 foreign participants from 35 countries. Kenya will be represented by 250 participants with team Jasiri having 120 players.
Despite the cancellation of the event in August 2024 due to financial constraints, the World Tong IL- Moo- Do Federation president Grand Master Takamitsu Hoshiko has shown faith and support to ensure the December 11th to 24th, 2024 event takes place.
Grandmaster Hoshiko has been supportive and his efforts to marshal the countries to the event demonstrate that the world body recognizes the country strides to popularize Tong-IL Moo-Do in Kenya and Africa.
Kenya’s Tong IL- Moo- Do Chairman Clarence Mwakio said the event is expected to have the highest number of participants since inception and this shows that the credibility of the championship is regarded highly by the world body.
“Kenya is a powerhouse in Tong-IL Moo-Do and host such a world class event elevates the country status,” Mwakio said.
Mwakio said the president of the world federation Hoshiko has ensured that the 12th edition of the championship will have more teams as part of the events in the world federation calendar.
The Chairman appealed to the President, Dr William Samoei Ruto and the youth affairs, creative economy and sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to intervene in sponsorship and facilitate the national team Jasiri with the hosting budget funds.
“The championship is among the few international events that are hosted in Kenya this year and it’s of significance for the government to boost the morale of the players,” he said.
, For the last 4 months, team Jasiri has continued with trainings in readiness for the event that they have won for the last 11 years of the championship,” he added.
Mwakio said he is optimistic that within the next two weeks before the championship the Cs sports will save the event from failing to start.
“We understand that saboteurs are working behind the clock to sabotage the championship from happening so that it collapses but we have faith it will take place,” he alluded.
In this year’s championship, new teams are participating among them Sao Tome and Principe, Vanuatu, Lithuania, Uganda among others.
President of the World Tong-Il Moo-Do Federation Takamitsu Hoshiko
