Sensei Patrick P. W. LEUNG

sifu-leungpakwaiBorn in the year of 1962, Sensei Patrick Leung began his first Shitoryu Karatedo lesson at the age of 12; and at the age of 17, he was awarded Black Belt 1st Dan
. In 1982, as a representative of the Hong Kong Karatedo team, he won the 2nd runner-up prize in the Asia-Pacific Friendship Karatedo Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan. Sensei Leung has always been a natural winner; since the 1st Hong Kong Karatedo National Tournament held in 1983, Sensei Leung was many times the champion in local Karatedo championships and other competitions that he participated from 1983 to 1989. During the years, apart from concentrating on his own training for tournaments, Sens
ei Leung was also busy in the development of coaching and administrative works in the field of Karatedo in Hong Kong. So in 1989, after winning the highest honour “Champion of Champions” in the 7th Hong Kong Karatedo National Tournament, Sensei Leung stepped out of the arena and focused on the careers of coaching and administrative works, and continued the development of Karatedo in Hong Kong.

Since 1980, Sensei Leung has been engaged in the work of coaching. From 1991 to 1993, he was appointed as the Coaching Director of the Hong Kong Amateur Karate Association (HKAKA) [now it’s renamed as The Hong Kong Karatedo Federation Limited (HKKFL)]. Under his leadership, HKAKA successfully participated in the Hong Kong Coach Accreditation Programme jointly organized by Hong Kong Sports Development Board and Hong Kong Sports Institute. HKAKA was the fourth sport association in Hong Kong who implemented the programme. In deed, today as we witness the flourishing development of the coaching work of HKKFL, it is actually an achievement ascribed to the vision instilled by Sensei Leung years ago. Other coaching programmes brought in by Sensei Leung included: In March 1992, under the concerted efforts with other HKAKA officials, he successfully invited two distinguished figures from Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF) to Hong Kong for the training of coaches – Sensei Takaichi Mano, and Sensei Seiji Nishimura – a World Karatedo Champion. In the next year, HKAKA again invited another two renowned Karatekas from JKF to conduct coaching programme in Hong Kong – Sensei Katsumi Hakoishi and Sensei Toshiatsu Sasaki. All these programmes have broadened the knowledge horizons of Karatedo coaches in Hong Kong tremendously.

Over the years, Sensei Leung has also been active in administrative work in the Karatedo field of Hong Kong. From 1991 to 1993, he was the Secretary General of HKAKA. During his service, he was able to invite his friend Mr. SIU Shu-keung to be the sole sponsor of many events organized by HKAKA: from 1991 to 1993, HKAKA was two times the hosing country of the Asian Karatedo Invitation Championships and the 1st Hong Kong Karatedo Team Championships. These events have become a glorious page in the history of Hong Kong Karatedo development. As a matter of fact, Sensei Leung was also the Chairman of the Organizing Committees of the abovementioned championships. These events marked new heights of Hong Kong Karatedo development; and it was at this point that Hong Kong was known as one of the most active regions in Asia in developing Karatedo. However, in the latter half of 1993, following the ascending glory of HKAKA was the gradual dominating culture of political manipulations in HKAKA. It was at this point of time that Sensei Leung stepped down from the new round of official-election. After retreating from the administrative work of the HKAKA, Sensei Leung devoted his time in the development of Hong Kong Shitoryu Karatedo.

In 1993, Sensei Leung was bestowed by World Shitoryu Karatedo Federation (WSKF) the mission to develop Shitoryu Karatedo in Hong Kong. In 2000, in Tokyo, WSKF conferred on him Black Belt 6th Dan. In 2001, with his abundant experience and resourceful knowledge in Karatedo administration, Sensei Leung was elected as the Secretary General of Asia Pacific Shitoryu Karatedo Federation (APSKF); honored with the title, Sensei Leung is to bear the duty of further cultivating Shitoryu Karatedo in Asia-Pacific region. In 2003, Sensei Leung was also elected as the Standing Director of WSKF; he was responsible for coordinating Shitoryu Karatedo organizations all over the world, and setting development strategy of WSKF. In 2004, WSKF conferred on him Black Belt 7th Dan in Malaysia; thus Sensei Leung became one of the four Shitoryu Karatekas who had acquired the highest world recognized Black Belt 7th Dan degree in the Asia-Pacific region except Japan.

Regarding the progress in Hong Kong, with a view to further popularizing Shitoryu Karatedo among Hong Kong citizens from all walks of life, Sensei Leung introduced the policy: “Teaching and Learning Karatedo with no Charge”. In addition, “Yauhan Karate Sponsorship Scheme” was also set up to endow students in need to participate in various Karatedo training sessions and overseas events. Under the nourishment of Sensei Leung, dojos with his personal supervision can be found in Lam Tin, Shek Kip Mei, Lei Yue Mun, Island East and Ho Man Tin where over five hundred students are benefited.