Claudymar Garces and Vinicius Figueira among stars winning ticket to 2023 Pan American Games in Costa Rica

The first two ranked athletes in each category earned the ticket to participate in the biggest multi-sport event of the Americas to take place in Santiago in November.

FEMALE KATA

In Female Kata, the two spots were claimed by Valentina Zapata of Colombia and Claudia Laos-Loo of Canada. Zapata, who is the 2022 U21 Continental champion, topped the pool with a score of 38.7 while Laos-Loo who finished in the fifth position of the PKF Championships last year dominated the pool with a score of 39.4.

The two athletes join Nicole Mota (BRA), Cristina Orbe (ECU), Maria Dimitrova (DOM), Andrea Armada (VEN) and Sakura Kokumai (USA) who were already qualified.

FEMALE KUMITE -50KG

Meanwhile, in Female Kumite -50kg, Penelope Polanco of the Dominican Republic won the ticket after claiming a convincing 8-0 victory over Jusleen Virk of Canada. Barbara Michelle Morales of Guatemala took the other spot following a slim 5-4 triumph over Brazil’s Juliana De Oliveira.

The list of qualified athletes in the category is completed with Yamila Benitez (ARG), Claudia de la Cruz (PER), Lahyanssa Yamina (CAN), Yorgelis Salazar (VEN), Gabriela Izaguirre (ESA), and Doralvis Delgado (USA).

FEMALE KUMITE -55KG

The winner of 2023 Karate 1-Series A Richmond-Vancouver Erika Gabriela Luque of Mexico won the qualification in Female Kumite -55kg after defeating Ileana Miranda of Ecuador (5-2). The other spot in the category was claimed by Kelly Fernandes of Brazil, who edged Barbara Perez of Venezuela (0-0).

The qualified athletes in the category are: Yennifer Gabriela Servin (PAR), Giuliana Novak (ARG), Trinity Allen (USA), Baurelys de la Torres (CUB), Geraldine Peña (COL), and Hana Furumoto-Deshaies (CAN).

FEMALE KUMITE -61KG

Olympian Claudymar Garces of Venezuela used her Olympic status to qualify in Female Kumite -61kg. The current continental runner-up claimed an impressive 10-1 victory over Jacqueline Factos of Ecuador. The other ticket went to Cuba, after Lianerkis Chacon’s triumph over Xhunashi Caballero of Mexico 8-5.

The qualified athletes are Alexandra Grande (PER), Laura Diaz (ARG), Janessa Michelle Fonseca (PUR), Maria Renee Wong (GUA), Diana Ramirez (COL), and Alexandra Wainwright (USA).

FEMALE KUMITE -68KG

Two-time continental medallist Skylar Lingl of the United States confirmed the predictions and qualified in Female Kumite -68kg. The representative of the United States upset Luisa Palencia of Guatemala 2-0.

Meanwhile, Pamela Mariel Campos of Mexico took the other ticket with an impressive 13-4 victory over Maria Mendoza of Costa Rica.

The list of qualified athletes is completed with Anna Laura Prezzoti (BRA), Wendy Mary Ann Mosquera (COL), Nazira Aponte (BOL), Barbara Hellen Rodrigues (BRA), Marianth Cuervo (VEN), and Melissa Bratic (CAN).

FEMALE KUMITE +68KG

In Female Kumite +68kg, the winners of the event were Lily-Rose Nolet of Canada and Guadalupe Quintal of Mexico. Nolet won the ticket after beating Oriana Rodriguez of Venezuela while the two-time Karate 1-Premier League medallist from Mexico defeated Viviana Danguillecourt of Cuba 8-1.

The rest of qualified athletes are: Valeria Echever (ECU), Brenda Padilha (BRA), Gianella Lozano (PER), Pamela Rodriguez (DOM), Shanee Torres (COL), and Kelara Madani (USA).

MALE KATA

After a thrilling competition, the winners in Male Kata were Bruno Ferreira of Brazil and Daniel Tipal of Mexico. 

The two athletes who topped the final pool with scores of 40.2 and 39.1 respectively complete the list formed by Mariano Fabricio Wong (PER), Luca Mateo Impagnatiello (ARG), Larry Aracena Duran (DOM), Cleiver Casanova (VEN), and Ariel Torres (USA).

MALE KUMITE -60KG

Promising karatekas Joseph Tolentino of the United States and Brayan Diaz of Cuba won the tickets in Male Kumite -60kg. Tolentino beat Reiner Palma of Costa Rica 8-1 while the Cuban karateka beat Emanole Ayala of Ecuador 9-2.

The list is completed with Douglas Brose (BRA), Maximiliano Larrosa (URU), Frank Ruiz (USA), Juan Carrillo Fernandez (COL), Pedro Pablo de la Roca (GUA), and Jose Armando Luque (MEX).

MALE KUMITE -67KG

Two-time continental champion Vinicius Figueira of Brazil won the ticket in Male Kumite -67kg after beating Carlos Jose Chacon of Guatemala 3-1. The other qualified athlete in Costa Rica is Alberto Galvez of Panama who upset Ismael Vilorio of the Dominican Republic 5-2.

They complete the list formed by Fred Valentino Proano (ECU), Gonzalo Navarro (ARG), Tomas Freire (CHI), Andres Madera (VEN), Guillermo Ramirez (COL), Daniel Esparza (MEX)

MALE KUMITE -75KG

Meanwhile, in Male Kumite -75kg, Ryan Oneil took one more ticket for Canada following a 4-2 victory over Julio Ichiki of Argentina. Carlos Julian Villarreal of Mexico won the other spot with a 3-2 triumph over Juan Jose Rios of Peru.

The list is completed with Alisson Bruno Santana (BRA), Francisco Manuel Barrios (URU), Kasturi Safin (USA), Juan Landazuri (COL), Allan David Maldonado (GUA), and Thomas Scott (USA).

MALE KUMITE -84KG

Two-time continental champion Ruben Dario Henao of Colombia won the qualification in Male Kumite -84kg (3-2 over Juan Macedo of Uruguay), just as Tomas Greer of Puerto Rico (4-3 over Diego Silva of Brazil).

The list is completed with Jose Antonio Acevedo (ECU), Jesus Orlando Servin (PAR), Senpon Saisheren (USA), Brandon Lizandro Ramirez (GUA), Jorge Alexander Merino (ESA), Pablo Andrés Benavides (MEX).

MALE KUMITE +84KG

Three-time Karate 1-Premier League medallist Rob Timmermans of Curacao won the ticket in Male Kumite +84kg following a 3-2 victory over Crixon Guzman of Venezuela. The other spot is claimed by Diego Fernando Lenis of Colombia who beat Fernando Aguilera of Canada 9-4.

The list is completed with Lucas Hardy de Miranda (BRA), Marcos Daniel Molina (ARG), Felipin Salgado (BRA), Ariel Castillo (DOM), Rodrigo Oporta (NIC), and Brian Irr (USA).

2023 PKF SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS