A Western Australian karate coach will fly to Tokyo next week, when the sport makes its Olympic debut.

Mark Golding will coach Australia’s only karate athlete, Tsuneari Yahiro.

“Tsuneari has been in the Australian senior team for many, many years, he is a world medallist,” Golding told 6PR’s Gareth Parker.

“He has dedicated his life to being selected, he has been a strong representative of Australian karate for many, many years.”

Karate is one of five new sports added to the Tokyo games.

Golding said he is honoured to be coaching after aspiring to compete himself as a young man.

“I was an athlete many, many years ago, and it was a dream to represent the country in the Olympic games, it didn’t happen,” he said.

“It was announced that karate would be added to the program of events for 2020, so absolutely excited about that.”

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(Photo: iStock by Getty Images.)