June 29-30 2019

It is hard to find information about karate's early years because the sport was once illegal so there were no written records kept about it. Karate first appeared on Okinawa Island when Japan's samurai rulers banned weapons in the 17th century. This motivated people to take up weaponless fighting for self-defence. All of the early masters trained in secret and information about the martial art was passed down through generations by spoken word. 

The first public demonstration of karate took place in 1917. In 2016, the International Olympic Committee ruled to include karate on the programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Karate emphasises striking techniques such as punching and kicking with knees, elbows, heels and hands. Some of its elements stem from kung fu due to the influence of the Chinese families that lived on Okinawa. A person who practises this form of martial art is called a karateka. 

The 2nd European Games will feature two intense days of karate competition with 12 sets of medals to be awarded across the male and female events.

Interesting facts:

• "Kara" translates as "empty" while "te" means "hand," thus emphasising that karate is a weaponless martial art.
• Karate appeared in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, but was banned several times over the next decades. It was finally legalised in 1989.
• Elvis Presley was an avid karateka having first tried the sport when he was drafted into the Army. He eventually became an instructor, received an 8th degree black belt and was included in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
• Karate belts start in lighter colours and progress to darker colours because Japan's economy was weak during World War II and dying the belts was more economical than buying new ones.
• The World Karate Federation claims that there are 100 million karatekas around the globe.