Two Ballarat karate practitioners have been selected to represent Australia at an international tournament.
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The selection is a dream come true for Camilla Barker and Patrick Antunes, who will travel to Malaysia this week to compete in the Shinkyokushin 1st Asia full-contact Karate tournament.
Barker said she never thought it would happen.
"I've been competing in as many tournaments as I can in the last three years with the hope of getting this opportunity," she said.
"I'm thrilled, I'm excited, I know it will be tough but I'll be competing against the best."
Barker will be the oldest competitor in the women's light heavyweight division. She said she will need to be at the top of her game to compete with fighters half her age.
"For me, I've got to be quick to try and keep up, and I expect nothing less than a tough division," she said.
Antunes however will be one of the youngest competing in the male middleweight division. The 19-year-old will be one to watch at the tournament following an impressive showing at the national championships.
After taking up the sport at age 12, he told The Courier competition would be tough.
"I think I'll do pretty good, I've been doing karate for eight years now, it's exciting but I'm a little nervous."
The tournament will be held in Kuala Lumpur on September 8.