Spectacular Grand Winners Gala Ceremony Honours Karate's Best of the Best in Casablanca

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Casablanca, the gala was attended by karate officials, national and regional sports authorities, and hundreds of karatekas. The event marked a historic moment for the sport as it was the first time a Grand Winners Gala was held. The ceremony was a celebration of the excellence of Karate and showcased the tremendous progress of the sport.

Presented by WKF speaker José Antonio Redondo, the gala recognised 12 outstanding karatekas as the “Best of the Best” in their respective categories at the end of the season.

The new Grand Winners are:

The event was chaired by WKF President Antonio Espinós and Morocco Karate Federation President Mohamed Mouktabil, and had WKF Executive Committee members Bechir Cherif, Gunnar Nordhal, Souleymane Gaye, Davor Cipek, Rashid Al Ali, and Mohamed Mahrous Eldharawy in attendance. Morocco's Minister of National Education, Preschools and Sports Chakib Benmoussa also graced the event with his presence. The gala highlighted the remarkable achievements of the athletes throughout the season, showcasing the pinnacle of karate talent globally.

WKF President Antonio Espinós said:

"This Grand Winners Gala is a significant milestone for karate. It is a moment to honour the outstanding performances of these 12 exceptional athletes who have demonstrated excellence throughout the season. Their fantastic performances at the four events this year are a perfect showcase of the impressive abilities and resilience of our karatekas.

“This Gala, superbly hosted by the Moroccan Karate Federation not only demonstrates the many values of Karate; its brilliance and splendour also show how much we have progressed as a sport. We are grateful to the Morocco Karate Federation and its President Mohamed Mouktabil for organising this fantastic event, which adds tremendous value to karate and the WKF. Their efforts have provided a remarkable platform to celebrate our sport and our champions."

The Grand Winners Gala in Casablanca set a new standard for future celebrations, reinforcing the commitment of the WKF to promote and elevate the sport of karate on the world stage, and wrapped up a memorable season of Karate 1-Premier League with four historic events in Paris (France), Antalya (Turkiye), Cairo (Egypt) and Casablanca (Morocco).