Since D-200 of the Olympic Games, Karate-K.com offers you to (re)live the highlights of sports Karate since the 1st World championships 50 years ago. From 1970 to 2020, from Tokyo to Tokyo. 5 decades rich in crazy exploits and incredible human and men adventures.
Episode 2 : 1972, April 21. Paris, Coubertin. 220 fighters are ready to fight for these 2nd World championships in history. The Japanese are sure of their strength. Westerners are on the warpath. The first will be disillusioned, the second will laugh. Brazil's Watanabe becomes World champion by beating England’s Higgins in the final. France wins over Italy. Their training, their approach…
By Ludovic Mauchien / Photos : DR / personal collection
In 1972, Westerners were mulling for two years. All still have across the throat the 1st Japano-Japanese World championships of 1970. “There was a great thirst for revenge !”, still assures Dominique Valera, 3rd in individual and team in Tokyo. All the French have a fixed idea : to beat all the Japanese. At the European championships in Brussels, a month and a half before the big Parisian event, none won individually but the team won its 4th continental title.
With big ambitions, big means. For the first time, a long-term national team camp is organized. One month before the deadline, 10 Frenchmen met in Normandy, at Le Touquet, for 8 days. Jogging on the beach, 2 hours of flexible hiking and, above all, epic evenings will cement the feat to come. The selection of the 5 incumbents and the 2 substitutes is made by vote of the team members. The rules require having a trainer. Maurice Szpirglas, the 1st French champion in history (in 1963), will be elected.
The big day is coming. Coubertin is full. “That day, we knew we had a job to do”, remembers captain Dominique Valera. The fight’s order is immutable: N°1 : François Petitdemange. N°2 : Alain Setrouk. N°3 : Guy Sauvin. N°4 : Dominique Valera: N°5 : Gilbert Gruss (substitutes : Patrice Lenoir and Francis Didier).
The French successively beat Ireland (4-1), Brazil (3-2), Singapore (3-0) and the United States (2-1), followed by the ½ final. Surprise ! ... Meanwhile, England has created the feat. His fighters (Knighton, O’Neill, Haslen, Adams, Higgins) took Japan out in the 3rd round (2-1). The ½ final is therefore Franco-English…
Petitdemange wins by ippon. Setrouk steps forward... He's hot. He was disqualified in the previous round and is furious. “I fought against an American Popeye. He had hurt 2 guys before me. So, I put everything I had… I caught up with O’Neill, in the ½ final. He was a 1.93 m super fighter. Even if it ends with the decision, I definitely won. I even broke his ribs”. Guy Sauvin finishes the work by beating Haslen (decision). Valera and Gruss ends with a draw.
The final will be France vs Italy. In front of their audience, in a hot atmosphere, the French cannot let the title escape. It will though be necessary to wait for the last fight to know the winner.
In the 1st fight, Petitdemange released his special, Maite. Win by Ippon on Parisi. 1-0. Then Setrouk takes 40 seconds to inflict an Ippon to Falsoni on a powerful Gyaku Jodan. 2-0. Sauvin is then dominated by Fassione (Waza ari). 2-1. Valera fails to place his famous sweeps and concedes a draw against Munda. 2-1 always. It is Gruss who will give the French victory point on a simultaneous attack by Tsuki Jodan / Hiza Geri. France thus won the 2nd world title in history after suspense, ahead of Italy. England and Singapore finish 3rd.
The next day, in individuals, the heroes are tired. Setrouk (shoulder) and Valera (foot) declare forfeit. Only Sauvin pulls out of the game and will finish 3rd in these Worlds with Yugoslavia’s Schupter. The Japanese are swept away. The final opposes Brazil’s Watanabe and England’s Higgins. The South American becomes the 1st non-Japanese individual World champion.
The French team during its prepartion for the World championships.
Episode 1 - 1970 : "The Nippon Connection"
Gilbert Gruss in action.
