The Saudi Arabian national karate team, led by Tokyo 2020 silver medal hero Tarek Hamdi, has begun preparations for the 2021 World Karate Championships to be held in Dubai from Nov. 16-21.
Coach of the Saudi national team Mounir Afkir selected 21 players for the squad heading to the UAE: Hamdi, Fahd Al-Khathami, Imad Al-Maliki, Badr Al-Otaibi, Faraj Al-Nashiri, Omar Al-Azmi, Yasser Al-Barqi, Mazen Al-Duqail, Majed Al-Khalifa, Sultan Al-Zahrani and Al-Hussein Al-Sharif, Khaled Al-Sheikhi, Abd Al-Rahman Hafs, Ali Barnawi, Muhammad Al-Thubaiti, Fahd Hakami, Muhammad Al-Maliki, Haitham Hafs, Misfir Al-Dossari, Abdullah Hakami and Abdullah Al-Nasir.
The Saudi karatekas will begin their preparation program with daily morning and evening training sessions at their Riyadh hotel.