SANTO DOMINGO – The Karate Qualifying Championship, which will award 144 places for the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, begins this Thursday with the participation of athletes from more than 20 countries. The event will take place in the Fencing Pavilion, starting at 9:00 in the morning. José Luis Ramírez, president of the Dominican Karate Federation, and Antonio Volquez, technical director, were in charge of providing the information. The protocol ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., with the attendance of key figures from the national and international sports field, including José García Mañón, president of the Pan American Karate Confederation, and his delegation. In this competition, those classified for the regional event will be defined, which is scheduled to begin on July 24 at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium. The disputes for the tickets will take place in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
The tournament is supported by the Ministry of Sports, Inefi, the Games Organizing Committee and the Dominican Olympic Committee, in addition to the federation as the organizing entity.
José Luis Ramírez, president of the Dominican Karate Federation
Skills Program
On Thursday, the day will begin with the individual kata modality in both branches. In women’s kumite, the categories in competition will be -55 and -68 kilograms, while in men’s, the categories -67, -84 and over 84 kilos will be contested.The competitions will continue on Friday with team kata and new kumite divisions: in women’s (-50, -61 and over 68 kg) and in men’s (-60 and -75 kg).
Before the start of the tournament, the athletes carried out the weigh-in process and training sessions on the same stage. As part of the activities, this Saturday a joint training will be held between all participating delegations, strengthening the preparation for the qualifier. The event is part of the official process towards the Central American and Caribbean Games, consolidating Santo Domingo as the sports epicenter of the region in this 2026.
