The Japanese women armada is in place in Jakarta (Indonesia) for these 2018 Asian Games organized from August 25th to 27th. They are the favorites in almost every category. They will all be in Berlin in September to continue their journey to the Tokyo Olympics. For the moment, here is a short guide to follow the competition and the athletes. Part 2 : the female categories.

By Ludovic Mauchien (thanks to Gracenote Sports) / Photos : K-Photos

-50 kg

• Li Hong (CHN) won the Asian Games in 2010 and Ku Tsui Ping (Tpe) in 2014.
• Gu Shiaushuang (TPE) claimed bronze at the 2018 Asian championships. She won the Premier League in Okinawa (November 2017) and Istanbul (June 2018).
• At the 2018 Asian championships, Miho Miyahara (JPN) claimed her first Asian title. Japan has yet to win its first medal at the Asian Games.
• Since the start of 2017, Miyahara has won three of the five Premier League meetings in which she competed (Paris 2017 and 2018, Rabat 2018), and she finished second in Halle in 2017. The only time she failed to reach the podium was in Rotterdam in 2018 (13th).
• Miyahara finished 2^nd at the 2016 World championships, at the World Games in 2017, and in the overall standings of the Karate 1 Premier League in 2017.
• Srunita Sari Sukatendel (INA) won the 2017 South East Asian Games, defeating Paweena Raksachart (THA) in the final.
• Sukatendel lost the final of the 2017 Asian championships against Ayaka Tadano (JPN).
• Bakhriniso Babaeva (UZB) finished 3rd at the 2018 Premier League in Istanbul, losing the final against Gu Shiaushuang, and also in the Series A event in Salzburg in 2018.

-55 kg

• This event will be held at the Asian Games for the third time. Le Bich Phuong (VIE) won in 2010 and Wen Tzuyun (TPE) claimed gold in 2014.
• Only Japan claims multiple medals in -55 kg. Miki Kobayashi (JPN) won silver in 2010 and bronze in 2014.
• Wen Tzuyun won the last three Asian championships (2015, 2017, 2018). She also finished 3rd at the 2016 Worlds and 2^nd at the 2017 World Games.
• Syakilla Salni Jefry Krisnan (MAS) won the Karate 1 Premier League standings in 2016 and the 2017 South East Asian Games.
• Jefry Krisnan has already won a gold medal at the Asian Games in 2014, but in the -61kg division.
• Sabina Zakharova (KAZ, silver) and Mae Soriano (PHI, bronze) claimed medals at the Asian Games in 2014.
• Taravat Khaksar (IRI) finished 3rd in two Premier League events in 2018 (Paris, Istanbul). She had won in Paris in 2017.

-61 kg

• Japan's Yu Miyamoto (2010) and Malaysia's Jefry Krishnan (2014) won the two previous gold medals at the Asian Games.
• Malaysia (silver in 2010, gold in 2014) and Uzbekistan (bronze in 2010, silver in 2014) are the only countries to have claimed a medal at both Asian Games it was held.
• Barno Mirzaeva (UZB) is the only athlete on multiple medals at the Asian Games. She followed up a bronze medal in 2010 with a silver medal in 2014.
• Yin Xiaoyan (CHN) won the last three Asian championships (2015, 2017, 2018). She also claimed a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games.
• Yin won the overall standings of the Karate 1 in 2017. In 2018, she won the Premier League meetings in Paris and Dubai, and finished 2^nd in Rabat.
• Madina Utelbayeva (KAZ) and Ayami Moriguchi (JPN) both finished in 3rd place in the Istanbul Premier League last June. They also finished together in 3rd place at the 2017 Asian championships.
• Cokorda Istri Agung Sanistyarani (INA) won the 2017 South East Asian Games, defeating Arm Sukkiaw (THA) in the final.

-68 kg

• In 2010, China's Feng Lanlan won gold, and Guzaliya Gafurova (KAZ) claimed the gold medal in 2014.
• China (gold in 2010, silver in 2014) and Chinese Taipei (bronze in 2010 and 2014) are the only countries to have claimed a medal at both Asian Games it was held.
• No athlete has claimed multiple Asian Games medals in this event.
• In 2014, Gafurova defeated Tang Lingling (CHN) in the Asian Games final. Chao Jou (TPE) was a bronze medallist.
• Tang finished on the podium at the last two Asian championships: 2^nd in 2017, 3rd in 2018.
• Kayo Someya (JPN) won the Asian championships in both 2015 and 2017. In 2018, her sister Mayumi Someya (JPN) claimed the Asian title.
• In 2017, Kayo Someya finished in 2^nd place in the overall standings of the Karate 1 Premier League. She won the World title in 2012 and she finished on the podium at the last two World Games : 1st in 2013, 3rd in 2017.
• Lim Meeseong (KOR) was the highest ranked Asian athlete at the 2016 World championships, where she finished in 9th place.
• Ceyco Georgia Zefanya (INA) claimed bronze at the 2018 Asian championships.
• One athlete younger than 20 years old has won a medal in this event at the Asian Games, Chao Jou (TPE) was 19 when she claimed bronze in 2014.

+68 kg

• Manar Shaat (JOR) won in 2010, Hamideh Abbasali (IRI) in 2014.
• China (one silver, one bronze) and Macau (two bronze) are the only countries to have claimed multiple medals in this event.
• Both of the medals for Macau were won by Paula Cristina Pereira Carion (MAC), who is the only athlete on multiple medals in this event.
• Since her Asian Games gold medal in 2014, Abbasali won two Asian championship titles (2015 and 2018), claimed a silver and bronze medal at the 2014 and 2016 Worlds, and finished in 2^nd place at the 2017 World Games.
• Ayumi Uekusa (JPN) is the reigning World champion. She also won the 2017 Asian championships and the 2017 World Games. She claimed bronze at the 2014 Asian Games and finished 3rd at the 2018 Asian championships, behind Abbasali and Wen Tzuyun (TPE, 2^nd).
• Gap Mengmeng (CHN) finished on the podium at the 2015 and 2017 Asian championships (2^nd and 3rd). In 2018, she ended up in 5th place.
• Nguyen Thi Hong Anh (VIE) won the 2017 South East Asian Games and she lost the final of the 2017 Asian championships against Uekusa.
• Behind Uekusa (1st) and Abbasali (3rd), Nguyen was the highest ranked Asian athlete at the 2016 Worlds, finishing in 11th place.

KATA

• Japan has won gold at each of the six Asian Games it was held, from 1994 to 2014.
• Behind Japan, Malaysia (1 silver, 3 bronze) and Macau (4 bronze) have claimed most Asian Games medals in this event.
• For both Malaysia and Macau China, one athlete won all its medals – Cheung Pui Si for Macau China and Lim Lee Lee for Malaysia.
• Kiyou Shimizu (JPN) won the 2014 Asian Games. Only one athlete has won two gold medals in Kata : Atsuko Wakai (JPN) in 1998 and 2002.
• Since her Asian Games victory in 2014, Shimizu won each of the five major tournaments in which she participated : the 2014 and 2016 Worlds, the World Games in 2017, and the 2015 and 2018 Asian championships.
• In 2018, Shimizu has finished on the podium in each of the three Premier League events in which she competed.
• Mo Sheung Grace Lau (HKG) finished on the podium in four Premier League in 2018, including a victory in Rabat in April.
• Celine Xin Yi Lee (MAS) won the 2017 South East Asian Games. She also finished on the podium at the last two Asian championships (3rd in 2017, 2^nd in 2018).