Maria Stoli shines as up-and-coming karatekas celebrate victory at Karate 1-Series A Athens
1/15/2024
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The 2024 Karate 1-Series A Athens concluded with a spectacular display of skill and determination, as athletes from around the world clashed for supremacy in various categories. The final day witnessed outstanding performances and Greece’s Maria Stoli, Japanese karatekas in Kata and Turkish athletes were among the big winners of the opening event of the season.
Female Kata: Mishima Kiri Reigns
Japan's Mishima Kiri emerged victorious in the Female Kata category, defeating compatriot Kao Kitaguchi with a score of 43.00 to 40.40. Mishima's precision captivated the judges, securing her first-ever gold medal in international competitions.
Female Kumite: Maria Stoli takes gold for host nation
In the Female Kumite divisions, champions were crowned across various weight classes. Iran's Masoumeh Mohsenian claimed the -50kg title after a hard-fought battle against Chloe Breuzard of France, ending in a tight victory 1-1.
Maria Stoli of Greece dominated the -55kg category, securing a 3-0 victory against Luxembourg's Jennifer Warling and claiming the big success of the day for the organising country.
Belgium's Maryam Ajaray triumphed in the -61kg division, overcoming Lea Avazeri of France in a closely contested match ending 2-2.
Turkiye's Sudenur Aksoy claimed gold in the -68kg category after beating Thalya Sombe of France 3-2 while Switzerland's Fabienne Kaufmann defeated teammate Pauline Bonjour of Switzerland 7-1 in the +68kg division.
Female Team Kata: Portugal Takes the Crown
The Female Team Kata event witnessed Portugal's triumph as they secured the gold by defeating Turkiye with a scoreline of 40.30 to 39.30.
Male Kata: Ryusei Ikeda's Flawless Performance
Japan's Ryusei Ikeda exhibited impeccable form in the Male Kata category, outclassing Yasuhiro Machida with a score of 42.20 to 40.40.
Male Kumite highlights: Heorhii Pitsul and Saleh Abazari use experience to win gold
In the Male Kumite divisions, Turkiye's Mert Halici dominated the -60kg category with a convincing 9-0 victory over Georgios Karalis of Greece.
Miguel Nunes Ribeiro of Portugal secured gold in the -67kg class, narrowly defeating Artur Stepanov of Latvia 1-0.
Increasing his list of honours, Heorhii Pitsul of Ukraine defeated Mohamed Abudabous of Libya 10-0 in the most one-sided final of the day, while Hasan Arslan of Turkiye added one more gold for the successful Turkish delegation with a compelling 8-2 victory over Walid Deghali of Belgium in the -84kg category.
Saleh Abazari of Iran used the experience in his favour to win the title in the +84kg division after beating Umut Eren Gundog of Turkiye 6-2
Male Team Kata: Italy 4 Triumphs
In a thrilling all-Italian final, Italy 4 emerged victorious in the Male Team Kata category, defeating Italy 5 with a scoreline of 41.50 to 40.20.
The 2024 Karate 1-Series A Athens provided fans with a memorable showcase of skill, determination, and sportsmanship. The newly crowned champions and participants alike showcased the true spirit of karate in the first international event of the season.
The finals of #Karate1Athens are available LIVE on the WKF YouTube channel