In this second day of the World championships preliminary rounds, there were many surprises and the show was great. Busa, Ozcelik, Miyahara, Da Costa, the stars are in the finals.
By Florian Fournier in Madrid / Photos : Kphotos
-75kg
Final : Busa vs Asgari
The 2012 World champion, Italy’s Luigi Busa, will aim for a second world title on Saturday. Opposed to the star of the discipline, Rafael Aghayev, in the semi-final, Busa won this remake fight of the 2012 final, 2-1. In the final, he will meet Iran’s Asgari, winner of Ken Nishimura (décision) in ¼ finals and Russia’s Mizov in the semi-final (2-0).
Bronze : Aghayev (Aze) vs Otabolaev (Uzb) and Mizov (Rus) vs Nishimura (Jap)
-67kg
Final : Da Costa vs Figueira
European Champion in 2016, Frenchman Steven Da Costa will play his first World championship final. The young French prodigy appeared concentrated and confident. Beating William Rolle in the ¼ final (the last French World champion in this category, fighting for Cameroon today), he then defeated Iran’s Derafshipour (2-0) in the semi-final. On Saturday, he should beat Brazil’s Figueira who must be beaten to win gold. In the semi-final, Figueira beat Chilean Velozo 3-1.
Bronze : Derafshipour (Ira) vs Cuerva (Esp) and Velozo (Chi) vs Almasatfa (Jor)
The man of the day : William Rolle, what a comeback !
4 years after his world title with the French team and his retirement, William Rolle is back with Cameroon to compete in these World championships. Qualified until the ¼ finals, he stumbles on Steven Da Costa, defeated 1-0. He then found Spain’s Cuerva, who blocked his way to a possible bronze medal. He was defeated 5-3, the home refering having helped the Spanish « well ».
-60 kg
Final : Sago vs Crescenzo
The -60 kg final will see Japan's Naoto Sago against Italy's Angelo Crescenzo. Thundering in the semi-finals by inflicting two Mawashi geri jodan on Kazakhstan Assadilov, Sago qualified with a 10-0. For his first World championships, the young Japanese hit hard. On the other side, Angelo Crescenzo defeated Saymatov in the ¼ finals and, then, Morocco’s Ameknassi in the semi-final (4-1).
Bronze : Assadilov (Kaz) vs Kalnins (Lat) and Ameknassi (Mar) vs Martinez (Ven)
The man of the day : Ameknassi, the beautiful epic
Defending African champion, Morocco’s Ameknassi was not one of the favourites, but he will be in the small final on Saturday. Winner of the reigning World champion, Iran’s Amir Mehdizadeh in the ¼ finals, he fell in the semi-final against Italy’s Crescenzo.
Female Kumite
-61kg
Final : Precovic vs Xiaoyan
European champion in 2017, Serbia’s Precovic will play her first World final. Facing her, the former world N°1, China’s Xiaoyan.
To reach the final, Precovic beat the two-time World champion, Giana Lotfy of Egypt in ¼ finals and then Turkey’s Coban in the semi-final. For her part, Xiayoan defeated Italy’s Pasqua in the semi-final.
Bronze : Pasqua (Ita) vs Sadini (Mar) and Coban (Tur) vs Lotfy (Egy)
The woman of the day : Laura Pasqua, the great story
European runner-up in 2011 and 2010, the Italian achieved the best competition of her career by reaching the semi-finals of these World championships. Defeated by China's Yin Xiaoyan, she will compete for bronze on Saturday.
-55 kg
Final : Bitsch vs Banaszczyk
In this very open category, we have a new final to look forward to. 3rd at the World championships in Bremen (2014), Germany's Jana Bitsch, Noah Bitsch's sister, reached her first World championship final. In the semi-final, she defeated Russia's Alekhina 4-0. In the other part of the draw, Poland’s Banaszczyk, almost unknown in the world circuit, reaches the final. Living a true fairy tale, she defeated Sara Cardin in the ¼ finals and Japan’s Yamada in the semi-final.
Bronze : Yamada (Jap) vs Goranova (Bul) et Alekhina (Rus) vs Wen (Tpe)
-50 kg
Final : Ozcelik vs Miyahara
2014 World champion, Turkey’s Serap Ozcelik will aim for a second World title. World runner-up in 2016, Miho Miyahara will want to become World champion for the first time. Expected at this level of competition, the two fighters did not disappoint and we saw a lot of mastery in their karate.
