Tokyo2021 / Steven Da Costa : « I wanted to show my real face »
The night was very short for Steven Da Costa, gold medalist yesterday at the Tokyo Olympics (-67 kg). What does an Olympic champion’s awakening look like ? How did he manage his competition ? Did he scare himself ? To what is due his metamorphosis between morning and evening ? How did he live his day ? Did he have fun ? The “little prince” of Karate looks back on his extraordinary performance and tells us why and how he became the 1st Olympic champion in history.
By Ludovic Mauchien
Photo: Kphotos
Tokyo 2021/ -61 kg : Yin, Prekovic, Coban and Lotfy in final
No surprise in the -61 kg category. All the main gold contenders are qualified for the ½ finals. World No.1 Yin won all her fights and sent a strong message to the other. In Pool B, World champion Petkovic and Egypt’s Lotfy dominated their subject before facing each other in a final fight for 1st place of the group. In the end, Petkovic won thanks to the Senshu. The last qualified for the ½ finals is the Turkish Coban. She will be opposed to Prekovic. A tought task… Today, Prekovic is (again) on fire !
By Florian Fournier
Photos : Kphotos
Tokyo2021: Da Costa, Sanchez Jaime and Goranova Olympic champions!
He did it ! Reigning world champion, Frenchman Steven Da Costa became the 1st Olympic champion in history in Tokyo after beating Assadilov in the ½ final (5-2) and then Samdan in the final (5-0).
Thunderbolt in -55 kg where the young Bulgarian Ivet Goranova, Olympic No.27, 3rd at the Worlds in 2018, dominated Anzhelica Terliuga in the final.
The kata resulted in a superb final where the Spanish Sandra Sanchez, already World champion, won the gold at the expense of Japanese Shimizu. A 1st day where Karate was highlighted. That’s all for today. Tomorrow is another day.
By Ludovic Mauchien and Florian Fournier
Photos : Kphotos
Antonio Diaz : « Like a child going to Disneyland. It’s just incredible »
How do they live their Olympic days ? What do they do ? Last episode today of the whatsapp interview, the Kata double World champion, Antonio Diaz of Venezuela, the oldest karateka of the Olympic Games (41). He is in Tokyo from the beginning since he was flag bearer during the opening ceremony. He was also one of the 30 candidates for the IOC athlete’s commission but didn’t get elected. But, still, he is enjoying the Tokyo games like a child…
By Ludovic Mauchien
Photo : DR
Tokyo2021 / -55 kg : Goranova vs Plank, Terliuga vs Wen, Unexpected !
So many surprises in this category which adds -50 and -55 kg. In Pool A, the Turkish Ozcelik, Olympic No.1 and World No.1 in -50 kg, does not win a fight. Unlike the surprise guest, the young Bulgarian Ivet Goranova, Olympic No.27, who finished undefeated, ahead of Tzu-Yun Wen. In group B, if Anzhelica Terliuga ranked 1st despite 2 draws, the Austrian Bettina Plank was the 2nd surprise guest, ahead of Japanese Miyahara. Thus, the ½ finals oppose Goranova to Plank and Terliuga to Wen.
By Ludovic Mauchien
Photo : Kphotos
-67 kg : Assadilov - Da Costa in ½ final !
Surprised in his 2nd fight by Jordanian Almasatfa (loss 7-4), Steven Da Costa will face Olympic N)1 Kazakh Assadilov in the ½ final for a final before the hour. The other ½ final will oppose Jordanian Abdel Almasatfa, impressive in the qualification rounds (5 Ippons), and Turkish Eray Samdan. Let’s notice the forfeit of Italian Crescenzo due to injury. Analysis and highlights.
By Ludovic Mauchien
Photo : Kphotos
