The Fifth Kung Fu Open Competition organized by the Bulgarian Kung Fu and Tai Chi Federation (BKTF) was held here on Saturday gathering a total of 146 junior and senior athletes.

The athletes, including 125 Bulgarians from clubs from around the country and 21 Romanians, competed in styles such as Light-Fighting Sanda, Military Sanda, Tuishou, Traditional Taichi, and Traditional Taolu.

The aim of the event was to promote Kung Fu and Tai Chi among all age groups in Bulgaria, Lubomir Rangelov, Chairman of BKTF told Xinhua.

Kung Fu can develop everything that can be developed in humans, such as human spirit and upbringing, he said.

Miharala, 33-year-old Romania player, who has been practicing Kung Fu and Tai Chi for more than 20 years, told Xinhua they are very useful for both physical health and self-protection.

Teymour Jafari, General Secretary of BKTF, said that the federation would be happy if Chinese Kung Fu masters come to Bulgaria to teach their art.

Chinese Kung Fu came to the Balkan country in the 1970s, and currently at least 2,500 people practice various Kung Fu styles in about 50 clubs.

Meanwhile, four federations related to Kung Fu exist in Bulgaria.

Florin Iordanoaia, President of the World Traditional Kung Fu Federation, told Xinhua he hoped that a national federation of Kung Fu would be established in Bulgaria with the support of the Sports Ministry.

He said the government should also provide financial assistance for the Kung Fu events and activities because there are many children in the sports clubs.