One of Cebu’s toughest karatekas, Rafael Vidal of Team Hayashi-ha Shitoryukai-Insular Square, will leave for Sri Lanka next month to represent the country in the Fourth Hayashi-ha Shitoryukai Asia Pacific Karate and Kobudo Championships 2016 in the country’s capital of Colombo.
The meet which is scheduled from July 27 to 30 is expected to draw the world’s best karatekas of the Hayashi-ha World Federation. Three Filipino athletes will see action in the four-day tourney including Vidal who recently won three gold medals in the first ever Visayas Karatedo Union (VKU) National Championships held at the Robinson’s Galleria Cebu.
Participating nations in the international meet include Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Dubai UAE, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Pakistan, Maldives, China, Australia, Vietnam, India, Iran, host nation Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
“He’s really training hard right now,” said Vidal’s father and coach Sensei Reynante Vidal. “We are very scientific with our training to keep him in shape, well conditioned and well prepared for the tournament.”
Vidal said that his 12-year old son’s training regimen includes aquatic training, plyometrics and high altitude runs every weekend at the Transcentral Highway. He will leave for Sri Lanka on July 27.
The young Vidal is not new to competing in international tournaments. He won two gold medals last January in the Fourth Adidas International Karatedo Championships in Metro Manila and last year he also won two gold medals in the Milo International Karatedo Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Rafael Vidal was feted by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) last April.