They needed to be in final to get officially their tickets for the Olympic Games. The world champion Jonathan Horne and the Turkish Meltem Hocaoglu did it. In final at the European championships (May19-23), the two karatekas made the job.
By Florian Fournier
Photos : D.R
-75kg
Final : Horuna (Ukr) vs Aghayev (Aze)
Bronze : Garibovic (Cro) vs Petersen (Dan) et Bitsch (Ger) vs ?
½ finals : Horuna (Ukr) b. Garibovic (Cro), 1-0 and Aghayev (Aze) b. Bitsch (Ger), 2-0
Highlights : Winner of the K1 in Lisbon, Luigi Busa was surprised in the quarterfinal by Croatian Garibovic, 5-1.
-84kg
Final : Aktas (Tur) vs Abdullayev (Aze)
Bronze : Kvesic (Cro) vs Giurik (Svk) and Michele (Ita) vs Muhovic (Bih)
½ finals : Aktas (Tur) b. Kvesic (Cro), 3-2 and Abdullayev (Aze) b. Michele (Ita), 1-1
Highlights : In semi-final, the fight between Aktas, the world n°1, and Kvesic, the world champion, was one of the thoughest fight of the day. Technically and physically, it was very intense.
+84kg
Final : Horne (Ger) vs Bitevic (Srb)
Bronze : Gurbanli (Aze) vs Nishevci (Kos) et Tzanos (Gre) vs Gebka (Pol)
½ finals : Horne (Ger) b. Tzanos (Gre) , 1-1 and Bitevic (Ser) b. Gurbanli (Aze), 2-0
Highlights : It was the expected duel of the day, with Germany's Jonathan Horne and Georgia’s Arkania meeting in the quarterfinal for a place at the Olympic Games. Focused and precise, the world champion won 8-0 and will see Tokyo. For Arkania, nothing is lost, he still has the OQT in Paris mid-June.
Kata M
Final : Quintero (Spa) vs Sofuoglu (Tur)
Bronze : Busato (Ita) vs Heydarov (Aze) and Smorguner (Ger) vs Ujihara (Swi)
-61kg
Final : Prekovic (Ser) vs Serogina (Ukr)
Bronze : Heurtault (Fra) vs Miggou (Ger) and Suchankova (Svk) vs Coban (Tur)
½ finals : Serogina (Ukr) b. Heurtault (Fra), 3-0 and Prekovic (Ser) b. Suchankova (Svk), 5-4
Highlights : The finalist and world champion Prekovic won in the first round against Turkey’s Coban 1-0 and, tehn made a comeback in her semi-final with a 5-4 victory after being led 4-1 by Slovakia’s Suchankova.
-68kg
Final : Zarestka (Aze) vs Panetsidou (Gre)
Bronze : Eltemur (Tur) vs Cavar (Bih) and Pedersen (Den) vs Agier (Fra)
½ finals : Panetsidou (Gre) b. Eltemur (Tur), 2-2 and Zaretska (Aze) b. Pedersen (Den), 3-0
Highlights : Vice-European champion in 2019, the Swiss Elena Quirici lost in the first round 2-0 against the Norwegian Hilton and missed her qualification for the Olympics via the ranking.
+68kg
Final : Hocaoglu (Tur) vs Stubleva (Bul)
Bronze : Orana (Kos) vs Chatziliadou (Gre) and Ferracuti (Ita) vs Bruederlin (Swi)
½ finals : Stubleva (Bul) b. Orana (Kos), 4-0 and Hocaoglu (Tur) b. Ferracuti (Ita), 5-4
Highlights : On the way to the Olympic qualification, the world champion Eleni Chatziliadou lost in the quarter-final against the Bulgarian Stubleva (3-1). This defeat constrains her chances of qualifying via the ranking. It will pass through Paris and the OQT.
Kata F
Final : Sanchez (Spa) vs Bozan (Tur)
Bronze : Feracci (Fra) vs Bottaro (Ita) and Juettner (Ger) vs Moskova (Cze)
