Junna Tsukii knows she has a shot at making the next Olympics, but she needs to wait now for things to normalize before she can resume her Tokyo Games bid.

The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist is currently in Japan, which is also feeling the effects of the coronavirus. However, the world-ranked karateka is finding ways to keep herself in shape during the pandemic as she keeps the Philippines, her mother's homeland, in mind and close to her heart.

"On weekdays, I do some running in the neighborhood. I do my physical training in my room. On weekends, I go to my father's gym where I do my karate training," Tsukii, 28, says.

She started 2020 on a high note, winning a couple of bronze medals.

Her last tournament was at the Karate 1 Premier League in Dubai, where she reached the quarterfinals. She planned to compete in other international tournaments but each one was canceled one after the other. Nevertheless, her past efforts allowed her to reach No. 9 in the world rankings of the -50 kg kumite division.

The cancellations have become frustrating for Tsukii, who says she even traveled to different countries to further hone her skills.

"I traveled to Australia and Serbia. I faced European and Pan American world champions. The coach there even complimented me and said I was a top player. He helped me in practice to improve (me)," Tsukii says.

Despite the circumstances, Tsukii has not given up on her Olympic dream. She considers her predicament as just another bump in the road, vowing to give her everything once the opportunity to compete arises again.

"I made all the sacrifices and I've always reached my goals," she says.

Besides regularly training, Tsukii is now following the lead of many athletes stuck at home, as she holds free karate webinars, which is her way of teaching the sport and reaching out to karate practitioners around the world.

"I thought of holding seminars because I wanted to help karatekas. I wanted to help the Philippines, Japan, and also other countries. We are holding online seminars in English and Japanese," she says.

Even though she is in Japan, Tsukii has not forgotten the Philippines, saying she will help in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I have plans to donate (items) through acquaintances in the Philippines. I plan to donate things like protective clothing and other things to hospitals," she says.

Tsukii has been kept abreast with the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines through her friends and the news.

"I can only pray for the safety and health of everyone now. I plan to return to the Philippines when the lockdown is over. So please keep safe and strong," she says.

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