Almost all the top fighters are engaged in this 1st competition of the year 2020 which launches the last sprint towards Tokyo, whose 1st verdict will fall on April 6. To be watched in particular, the very close duels for the qualification between US Thomas Scott and Ukraine’s Stanislav Horuna, as well as that between the two Iranians Zabiollah Poorshab and Sajad Ganjzadeh.

By Ludovic Mauchien / Photo : Kphotos

The dual

One is the last qualified with 4,732.50 points, the second is the first unqualified with 4,522.5 points, or 210 points difference, or ... nothing. In -75 kg, the last Olympic ticket should be played between the American Thomas Scott and the Ukrainian Stanislav Horuna. Each competition can reverse their ranking. They are both in Santiago… Another duel to watch, this time from a distance, that between the two Iranians, Zabiollah Poorshab (-84 kg) and Sajad Ganjzadeh (+84 kg).

The competition

If this Santiago SeriesA, exceptionally delayed in January, 15 days before the Paris Premier League, hosts some 500 Karatekas, some big names are missing. To protect themselves from the jet lag ? But several World champions are registered : Jovana Prekovic (-61kg), Irina Zaretska (-68kg), Angelo Crescenzo (-60kg), Bahman Asgari (-75kg), Ivan Kvesic (-84 kg) and Jonathan Horne (+84 kg). Ahgayev, Busa, Horuna are also present.

The ranking

The Santiago SeriesA is a coefficient 3, which is 2 times less than Paris or Dubai. But a victory still wins 500 points. To see the ranking before Santiago :https://www.karate-k.com/en/sport/news/578-tokyo-2020-assadilov-and-aktas-smell-tokyo.html

All the results on Sunday on Karate-K.com