KarateGaziantep 2022 / Turkey queen at home
With 7 gold medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze, Turkey has largely dominated “its” European championships in Gaziantep which ended today with the last team finals. France won in men’s Kumite over Aghayev’s Azerabaijan. In Kata, the Italians and the Turks of Sofuoglu, who won a second European title after the individual yesterday, won gold.
By Florian Fournier
Photos : WKF
KarateGaziantep 2022 / Terliuga more than a victory
In this day of finals in Gaziantep, Anzhelika Terliuga wins her 2nd title after 2018. For the Ukrainian, this is more than a simple win.
This day have been also marked by the Turkish domination. With 6 titles, it’s a very good day for the Turkish karate. Other fact of the day, the final of +84kg between Kvesic and Costa. This fight was fabulous.
By Florian Fournier
Photos : Denis Boulanger
Turkey 2022 / Aghayev-Busa, the insatiable
For 15 years, their games have bewitched us. Rafael Aghayev and Luigi Busa, 37 and 34 years old, will still be among the -75 kg main contenders at the 55th European championships which begin on Wednesday in Gaziantep, Turkey (May 25-29). As usual ! We thought they were retired, or almost. No ! The flame that animates them is still alive. We left them on an Olympic final won by the Italian. We will find them in Turkey with the same thirst for victory.
By Ludovic Mauchien
Photo : Kphotos
Karate1 Rabat / Terliuga wins again, the Egyptians on top
The Karate1 Rabat, even though some top athletes were missing, offered nice fights and allowed young champions to assert themselves, or even to win their 1st K1, as the Moroccan Jina (3rd of the worlds in Dubai in -60 kg), the Egyptian world champion Badawi (-84 kg) or his compatriot Salama (-50 kg). 1st win also for the Greek Xenos (-67 kg) and the Japanese Ono and Moto in Kata. Japan’s Uekusa, Switzerland’s Quirici and Ukraine’s Terliuga, who beat the world champion in the final, left their mark.
By Ludovic Mauchien in Rabat (Morocco)
Photo : LM
Turkey 2022 / Stanislav Horuna : « I will try to enjoy »
He will be at the European championships in Turkey (May 25-29), like the whole Ukrainian team. This will be their 2nd time abroad since the start of the war on February 24.A month ago, Stanislav Horuna and his compatriots were invited by the Portuguese federation to participate in Karate1 Matosinhos. It was on this occasion that we met Stanislav on April 21, with his son Lev, 3 years old, an improvised assistant director who ends up being (kindly) scolded by his father.
By Ludovic Mauchien
Karate1 Rabat / Last step before the continental championships
After the K1 Matosinhos, the next step is in Rabat (Morocco) from May 13 to May 15. For this edition, few athletes are present. Only 20 karatekas on average by category. But the level stays high. At two weeks of the European and Panamerican championships, the Karate 1 Rabat is a good preparation. Terliuga, Zaretska, Torres Garcia, Xenos, Mahauden, Kvesic, Seck, Figueira and Torres will settle the last details. To notice, the comeback of Ayumi Uekusa.
By Florian Fournier
Photos : Karatepix