The Karate One Youth League opens on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and it will be on the Philippines’ emerging generation of karate talents eager to prove they belong on the world stage.
Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Manila leg of the prestigious international tournament arrives at a time when karate continues to expand globally under its new motto “The World is Our Dojo,” a theme that reflects the sport’s rapidly growing reach.
According to the Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc. president, the federation now counts 200 member nations worldwide — a testament to karate’s increasing popularity and competitiveness across continents.
For the host country, much of the attention will center on three young athletes seen as the country’s strongest representatives, Sebastian Neil Mañalac, Zian Alexander Sing, and Aeleyah Magrata.
Among them, Mañalac enters the four-day competition carrying the most decorated international experience and achievements.
The 17-year-old Filipino standout has steadily built his reputation against elite foreign opponents, highlighted by his gold and bronze medal finishes in the 22nd Asian Cadet, Junior and Under-21 Karate Championships at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City in 2024.
Those results elevated him to No. 8 in the World Karate Federation rankings for his age-group category.
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The future of karate arrives in Manila!
From May 14 to 17, the Karate One Youth League Manila 2026 will welcome more than 800 young athletes from over 55 countries for an unforgettable week of karate, passion, and international experience.
This is where the journey begins.… pic.twitter.com/OE64aO53wc
— World Karate Federation
(@worldkarate_wkf) May 11, 2026
Long before earning global ranking points, Mañalac had already shown signs of becoming one of the country’s brightest karate prospects. He captured another gold and bronze medal during the 1st Asian Karate Federation Youth Tournament and Training Camp in Wuhan, China two years ago.
His growth continued earlier this year when the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong graduate advanced through two matches in the junior kumite men’s -68-kilogram division during the Karate One Youth League leg in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates last February — valuable experience he now brings into the Manila tournament.
While Mañalac’s international achievements stand out, Sing has quietly assembled a strong body of work of his own.
The 17-year-old ruled the junior men’s 61kg division of the 4th Shureido International Karate Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia last year, reinforcing his status as one of the country’s most promising kumite competitors.
He also sustained his momentum domestically, dominating his weight class in both the 6th Manuel Veguillas Philippine International Open Karate Championship in 2025 and the recent National Championships in Tagaytay City.
Magrata, meanwhile, offers versatility that could make her a dangerous contender in Manila. Equally comfortable in kumite and kata, the young Filipina will compete in the juniors women’s -66kg kumite category armed with momentum from several strong performances over the past year.
She won the juniors female intermediate kata division and earned silver in the cadets female +61kg kumite class during the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Games in General Santos City. Magrata also emerged as Karate Pilipinas’ grand winner in the juniors female kumite -66kg division last year.
“All three young karatekas have been training very hard and I wouldn’t be surprised if they figure prominently in the battle for gold in their respective age-group categories. There may be others, but for now, Mañalac, Sing, and Magrata are our brightest hopes for the Karate One Youth League Manila leg,” karate chief Ricky Lim said.
With the tournament finally arriving on home soil, the country’s rising karate stars now face an opportunity larger than rankings or medals — the chance to show that the Philippines can develop athletes capable of consistently challenging the world’s best.
“All three young karatekas have been training very hard and I wouldn’t be surprised if they figure prominently in the battle for gold in their respective age-group categories. There may be others, but for now, Mañalac, Sing, and Magrata are our brightest hopes for the Karate One Youth League Manila leg,” karate chief Ricky Lim said.
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