Shanghai is hosting from December 7 to 9 the last international competition of the year 2018 counting for the Olympic ranking. The Chinese SerieA welcomes some world champions and may allow some others to qualify directly to the Premier Leagues, including the Paris Open (January 25-27, 2019).
The Madrid’s champions, Horne, Zaretska, Banaszczyk, Sanchez Jaime and Kvesic appear among the favorite for victory, as France’s Heurtault and Japan’s Moto in Kata.
By Florian Fournier / Photo : Kphotos
One month after the World Championships in Madrid, karatekas meet in Shanghai (China) to compete in the last competition of the year. If some are missing out on this 4th Serie A, for others, it is an important step in the optics of Olympic qualification and participations in the Premier League in 2019 (reserved for the top 100 in the ranking).
Open to athletes ranked beyond 100th in the world, the A Series is a competition where champions, outsiders and young talents cross the line. Some to consolidate their lead, others to grable a few places, a lot to show themselves and gain experience for a possible selection with their nation.
Men : Horne and Kvesic are there, Chobotar too
As expected, many Madrid world champions are present. In +84 kg, Jonathan Horne will fight his first match against Turkey’s Ridvan or Taipei’s Wang. Subsequently, he may have a quarterfinal against France’s Dnylson Jacquet.
In -84 kg, Croatia’s Ivan Kvesic, the World champion, will meet US Derryberry. Chobotar, who lost the World final without fighting, is also registered, both can meet in the final.
In -75 kg, with the absences of Iran’s Agari, the reigning World champion, Aghayev and Nishimura, the category is more than ever open. Usually in -67 kg, France’s Marvin Garin will this time fight in the -75 kg. In the first round, he will face Jordany’s Alnajjar.
In the -67 kg, as the World champion Steven Da Costa stayed in France, Burak Uygur of Turkey is the big favorite for the final victory, with Brazil’s Vinicius Figueira, World silver medalist. Franco-Cameroon’s William Rolle is the perfect outsider. Fighter for Sarcelles, the 2014 World champion continues his comeback.
Finally, in -60 kg, the victory will belong to the fittest man on D-day. Not an athlete really dominates this category where we still look for the boss.
Women : Zaretska, Banaszczyk and Heurtault ready to fire !
In the women's tournament, only two world champions, Azerbaijan’s Irina Zaretska (-68 kg) and Poland's Dorota Banaszczyk (-55 kg), will be present.
In +68 kg, France’s Nancy Garcia, winner in Tokyo, can take advantage of the absence of the Greek World champion Chatziliadou and Japan’s Uekusa to confirm her good performance.
In -61 kg, Leila Heurtault, major actress of the French team World title, is as always ready to get points in a series A or a Premier League. She is one of the biggest favorites for victory.
Finally, in -50 kg, Turkey’s Serap Ozcelik, finalist in Madrid, has the track all drawn to win the competition in the absence of Miyahara, the World current champion, and Alexandra Recchia, who had recently a harmstring surgery.
Kata : Sandra Sanchez Jaime and Moto as favorites
New World champion, Sandra Sanchez Jaime of Spain is the new woman to beat in kata. With the absence of Kiyou Shimizu, she will be the undisputed favorite for victory. In the final, she can meet Grace Lau who she defeated in the semifinal in Madrid (5-0).
In the male category, the king is absent but Japan has sent his prince. Ryo Kiyuna stayed at home and Kazumasa Moto will be the big favorite of the competition. In an epic table where he can meet Koji Arimoto in the round of 16, Issei Shimbaba in ¼ and finally, Damian Quintero (World silver medalist) in ½ final, the K1 Tokyo finalist will have a lot to do to win.
