María Angélica Coronil, right, met with WKF President Antonio Espinós, left, in Rotterdam ©WKF

The President of the Chilean Karate Federation, María Angélica Coronil, has met with World Karate Federation (WKF) President Antonio Espinós to discuss the sport's progress in the South American country. 

The meeting took place in Rotterdam in The Netherlands at the latest leg of the Karate 1-Premier League season.

A record-breaking number of more than 1,000 competitors from 66 countries participated in the second event of the campaign.

According to the WKF, Chilean karate has made huge strides in recent years.

The South American country sent a delegation of 13 karatekas to the last edition of the World Championships, held in the Austrian city of Linz in October, but failed to win any medals.

Chilean representatives performed well at the 2016 Pan American Championships, held in Rio de Janeiro, with a tally of five medals including one gold, which was won by Rodrigo Rojas.

The meeting took place at the Rotterdam leg of the Karate 1-Premier League ©WKF
The meeting took place at the Rotterdam leg of the Karate 1-Premier League ©WKF

Two Chilean athletes are currently placed within the top ten of the WKF world rankings in their respective divisions.

Gabriela Bruna, who finished in fifth place in Rotterdam last week, is ranked ninth in the women's under-50 kilograms kumite category.

Pan American champion Rojas is ranked fifth in the men's over-84kg kumite standings. 

One of the most successful athletes from Chile in recent years is David Dubo, who was crowned world champion in the men's under-75kg event in Tokyo in 2008.