DESPITE ONLY having seven competitors, the Portuguese flag was raised 12 times during the World Kempo Championship in Geneva recently, thanks to the team’s outstanding performance.
The martial arts championship, which saw teams from the US, Russia, Germany, France, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Switzerland, Morocco, Hungary, Holland, the Ukraine, Spain and Belgium competing, was certainly an event to remember for the Portuguese. The three-day event was broadcast by French, Swiss and Romanian television and enjoyed a fantastic atmosphere, thanks to the thousands of participants and large crowds.
The event featured traditional Kempo competitions (Kata, Weapon Kata and Personal Defence) and Sports Kempo (Semi-contact, Full-contact and Knockdown), categories in which the Portuguese won several prizes. The Portuguese team, who recently arrived back in Portugal, are now in preparation for the 2006 European Championships that will take place in Holland.
