The chances of Japan-based Filipina Junna Tsukii making it to the rescheduled 2021 Tokyo Olympics got a big boost, thanks to the World Karate Federation's decision to still hold two qualifying tournaments that had been cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A resolution by the sport's world governing body addressed concerns regarding the nixed Karate 1-Premier League Rabat in Morocco and the EKF Senior European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Under the revised qualification system, the 1-Premier League and the EKF championships will be held next year, although the latter will be moved to Gothenburg, Sweden.

The WKF added that it is also possible that the Rabat tournament could be replaced by another 1-Premier League competition, should the need arise.

No dates for the two competitions have been mentioned.

• Karate: SEA Games champ Junna Tsukii keeps mind on Olympic dream, Philippines amid pandemic

Tsukii, in the top 10 in the WKF's world rankings, was elated by the development.

"I have one Premier League and a world championship for Olympic selection. In particular, the world championship has the most points, so it is an opportunity to raise the ranking significantly," the 2019 Southeast Asian Games champion said.

With the good news, Tsukii said she knows that she will have to prepare hard.

"I have fought against the world's top players in the Premier League and Series A, and I have won five medals there. So I have a chance to win in the world," Tsukii said.

"However, it is necessary to practice hard to fight the top. I would like to prepare for a training camp abroad as soon as the pandemic settles down."

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