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Ayumi Uekusa and Ryo Kiyuna continue winning streak in Karate 1-Series A Salzburg

2017-10-08

Ayumi Uekusa and Ryo Kiyuna continue winning streak in Karate 1-Series A Salzburg

Favourites took a stand on the final day of action at the Karate 1-Series A in Salzburg (Austria) and dominated the competition in a thrilling showcase of top katas and kumites. Headed by world champions Ayumi Uekusa and Ryo Kiyuna, front-runners avoided the surprises that shook the event on Saturday and took the gold medals in the categories at stake.

Favourites took a stand on the final day of action at the Karate 1-Series A in Salzburg (Austria) and dominated the competition in a thrilling showcase of spectacular katas and kumites. Headed by world champions Ayumi Uekusa and Ryo Kiyuna, front-runners avoided the surprises that shook the event on Saturday and took the gold medals in the categories at stake.

Ryo Kiyuna of Japan won his sixth gold in six tournaments this year after defeating teammate Issei Shimbaba by 4-1 in the final of Male Kata. It is Kiyuna’s 12th consecutive gold medal in over four years of record-breaking winning streak. As it has happened in the last top international events, Japan prevailed in the individual Kata competition claiming six of the eight medals at stake and taking all the spots of the podium in the Male Kata category.

Japan's Ayumi Uekusa also took the spotlight at the event. The current World champion confirmed her status of Kumite queen after winning her six gold medal in seven appearances this year. The World ranking leader who was crowned 2017 Grand Winner edged Turkey’s Eda Eltemur (1-0) in the final of Female Kumite +68kg so to extend her impressive tally of 17 medals in 17 tournaments in nearly five years of international career.

Yuko Kozaki in Male Kumite -60kg with his first gold medal in senior international competition completed the list of gold medallist for the successful Japanese team. Japan topped the medal table of the event with ten medals and three golds.

FRENCH KARATEKAS SHINE IN SALZBURG

The French delegation also had plenty of reasons to celebrate since the Karate powerhouse presented a successful performance with nine medals and three golds. Following Steven Dacosta’s success on Saturday, his brother Logan dominated the Male Kumite -75kg beating teammate Corentin Seguy in an all-France final.

Kenji Grillon also took the French flag to the top of the podium with his victory in Male Kumite -84kg. The world championships bronze medallist defeated Meris Muhovic of Bosnia Herzegovina 4-1 in the final to claim his first medal this year.

The Kumite -55kg category was one of the highlights of the tournament as two of the most revered competitors of international Karate clashed in the final. Anzhelika Terluyga of Ukraine took gold after beating Sara Cardin of Italy in a gripping bout that ended 1-0 for the Ukrainian fan favourite. The Ukrainian Grand Winner completes a sensational season in which the promising karateka has won the best of the best award of the year in Karate 1-Premier League, as well as two golds in Karate 1-Premier League and the bronze medal in European Championships.

Katrine Pedersen of Denmark in Female Kumite -68kg and Jonathan Horne of Germany in Male Kumite +84kg complete the list of gold medallists at the record-breaking event which has gathered no less than 1100 competitors from 75 countries in two thrilling days of Karate action.