Karate: Commonwealth's best in Wellington

The cream of the Commonwealth's karate talent has arrived in Wellington looking to pick a fight when the Commonwealth Championships kick off here tonight.

About 200 fighters from 11 countries line up at The Events Centre in the biggest international karate tournament ever hosted in New Zealand and it will be an Englishman setting the standard.

Reigning world champion Rory Daniels is tipped to take out the premier men's open event as well as captain his national side to gold.

Daniels, of Bristol, has been in formidable form in recent years and won last year's world championships in Mexico.

"Karate is a mind game as well as about being in peak physical condition," a confident Daniels said.

"I fought in the last Commonwealth Championships in Manchester (in 2002) and to be honest I believe I will win this event without any problems."

While Daniels considers Frenchman Seydina Bald to be his greatest adversary, he faces New Zealand No 1 Tyron Edwards and recent national championship winner Chris Bennett this weekend.

"New Zealand are a good side and you have got some good fighters," Daniels said.

"But I expect England will dominate."

Edwards, back from a knee injury that sidelined him for the best part of a year, believed he has an extra incentive to help halt the English invasion.

"This is the biggest and most important karate tournament to ever be hosted in this country and I guess the pressure's on to get results in front of my home crowd," he said.

Edwards will compete in the men's open and under-80kg divisions as well as the team events and may be the only fighter able to stop the steamrolling Englishman.

Meanwhile, New Zealand team captain Braedyn Birss, lining up in the under-80kg and team events, is hopeful he can shrug off an ankle injury in time to hit the mat tomorrow night.

"I've had some pretty intensive physio since I injured it last week," he said. Birss suffered tendon damage while training.

"I was doing my last exercise of the session when I felt a ping in my ankle. The next day it had completely seized up."

Birss, who retired from competition in 2002, dusted off his gloves and returned to training after learning the Commonwealth Championships were to be in Wellington.

"That gave me massive motivation to come back, but I hope this injury doesn't rule me out."

- NZPA