The 2nd Premier League of the year has just ended. The Emirati stage (February 15-17) has delivered some lessons that foreshadow the strong « men » of the year, even if the points for the Olympic ranking will count 100% only from Rabat (April 19-21). The tournament in short...
By Ludovic Mauchien / Photo : Kphotos
The perf 'of the weekend
She did not win the tournament but she won the last two world champions, France's Thouy (2016) and Poland's Banaszczyk (2018), before losing in the ¼ final against the running European champion, Ukraine’s Terliuga. Iran’s Chalaki (-55 kg) finally ranks 3rd.
Another perf ' worthy to be noticed is that of Kata World champion Sandra Sanchez Jaime, who beat for the second time Kiyou Shimizu, after the World’s final. The Japanese recorded the 5th defeat of her career (including 3 in 2018).
One + one = two
Steven Da Costa (-67 kg), Gwendoline Philippe (-61 kg) and Serap Ozcelik (-50 kg) start the year 2019 on the run of the wheel. Two Karate 1, two successes for the French and the Turkish fighters ! In Kata, Ryo Kiyuna keeps doing his one-man-show by winning again against Quintero.
They like the podium...
Winning is not easy. Regularity is even more difficult. In addition to the 4 unbeaten in 2019, 12 Karatekas managed to get on the podium in Paris (January 25-27) and in Dubai.
2nd in Paris, 1st in Dubai : Sandra Sanchez Jaime (Spa, Kata)
1st in Paris, 2nd in Dubai : Anzhelica Terliuga (Ukr, -55 kg)
3rd in Paris, 1st in Dubai : Darkhan Assadilov (Kaz, -60 kg)
2nd in Paris and Dubai : Gianna Lotfy (Egy, -61 kg), Damian Quintero (Spa, Kata)
3rd in Paris, 2nd in Dubai : Mehdi Filali (Fra, +84 kg), Didar Amirali (Kaz, -67 kg)
2nd in Paris, 3rd in Dubai : Rafael Aghayev (Aze, -75 kg)
3rd in Paris and Dubai : Menna Okila (Egy, +68 kg), Viviana Bottaro (Ita, Kata), Sajad Ganjzadeh (Ira, +84 kg), Issei Shimbaba (Jap, Kata)
Ozcelik gets fun
2nd success in a row but, most of all, 11th victory in Karate 1 for Serap Ozcelik (-50 kg), in a category where competition is dense. The Turkish fighter has one of the most beautiful record of the circuit with her 3 world medals (1 title in 2014) and her 10 European ones (including 4 titles). In Dubai, she conceded only 3 points and inflicted a 7-1 to Kryva in the final !
Kiyuna is Kata
Two-time world champion Ryo Kiyuna won his 17th Karate 1. His last defeat was in the Premier League of... Dubai last year. This is his 6th consecutive success (World championship included).
In short and in numbers
670 athletes participated in the Dubai Premier League, 339 men and 331 women. Japan (46 representatives), Italy (36), France (33), Iran (32), Egypt (28), Russia (25), Spain (24) and Kazakhstan (21) were the most numerous delegations.
Nations at the top
France gets the best results of this Dubai Premier League thanks to its 3 gold medals (7 in all with 1 silver and 3 bronze, including that of Farouk Abdelessem, engaged with his club of Arles). Japan (2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze) ranks in 2nd position mainly thanks to its kata (1, 1, 2). Turkey completes the podium with 3 medals won in Kumite (2 gold, 1 bronze).
Iran is 4th with 8 medals (Kumite only) but only 1 in gold (1, 1, 6). Egypt is 5th (1, 1, 2, all in Kumite) ahead of Kazakhstan (1, 1, 1) and Spain, 1 gold and 1 silver in Kata. In total, 8 nations have won at least 1 gold medal, 17 left the Emirates as medal winners.
All the results :
http://www.karate-k.com/en/sport/news/378-k1-dubai-da-costa-ozcelik-and-philippe-see-double.html
