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Ayumi Uekusa and Ryutaro Araga shine as Japan top medal table of Karate 1-Series A in Okinawa

2017-11-26

Ayumi Uekusa and Ryutaro Araga shine as Japan top medal table of Karate 1-Series A in Okinawa

Japanese karatekas showed power and prevailed at home as representatives of the birth nation of the sport topped the medal table of the Karate 1-Series A in Okinawa. Ayumi Uekusa and Ryutaro Araga finished their outstanding season with impressive victories, thus leading the way for Japan’s domination of the last event of the season. 

Japanese karatekas showed power and prevailed at home as the representatives of the birth nation of the sport topped the medal table of the Karate 1-Series A being held this weekend in Okinawa. Ayumi Uekusa and Ryutaro Araga finished their outstanding season with impressive victories, thus leading the way for Japan’s domination of the last event of the season. 

The Karate 1-Series A in Okinawa put an end to the memorable year of international Karate. As the sport sets its course to its anticipated debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, Japanese karatekas continued the pattern of the season and found their way to the podiums of the competitions. At the event being held in the birthplace of Karate, Japan claimed an impressive tally of 22 medals and seven golds. 

Ayumi Uekusa was crowned one of the biggest stars of the year in international Karate. The Grand Winner prevailed in Female Kumite +68kg and confirmed her status of one of the most dominating figures of the sport. With six golds in seven tournaments this year only, the defending World, Asian and The World Games champion has shown an unmatched consistency to claim a well-earned spot in Karate’s stardom. At home in Okinawa, the 2017 Grand Winner defeated Vera Kovaleva of Russia in the final by a convincing 5-0.

Ryutaro Araga also finished the season in style as the Japanese Grand Winner took the top of the podium in Male Kumite -84kg. After failing to reach the finals in his two last appearances, in Karate 1-Premier League in Halle/Leipzig and Dubai, the current World champion returned to his winning ways and took his third gold this year. The 2017 Grand Winner beat Italy’s Nello Maestri by 2-0 in the final. 

Hiroto Shinohara in Male Kumite -67kg and both Male and Female Kata teams completed the list of gold medallists for Japan on the last day of competition in Okinawa.

LUIGI BUSA DAZZLES IN THE LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR

Italy’s Luigi Busa also took the spotlight of the event after dominating the Male Kumite -75kg category. The current European Champion performed at an impressive level in Okinawa and added the gold medal on Japanese soil to his victories in Karate 1-Premier League Halle/Leipzig and the European Championships. The 30-year-old karateka prevented one more gold for Japan after his victory over Yuta Mori in the final. 

Meanwhile, Anzhelika Terlyuga of Ukraine was the third Grand Winner taking the top of the podium in Okinawa. The 25-year-old karateka has completed a remarkable season, with golds in Karate 1-Series A Salzburg and Karate 1-Premier League in Halle/Leipzig and Rotterdam. The fourth top award of the year came following her 3-2 victory over Japan’s Shiori Nakamura in the final of Female Kumite -55k. 

Current World champions also prevailed at the last event of the season since Iran’s Amir Mehdizadeh dominated the Male Kumite -60kg category. The defending world title-holder defeated Edemilson Dos Santo of Brazil in the final by a convincing 4-0. 

With his victory in Male Kumite +84kg, Saleh Abazari was the second gold medallist from powerhouses of Iran at the event. The current U21 Asian runner-up beat Brazil’s Hocine Daikhi in the final 2-0. 

China Taipei’s Shiau-Shiang Gu with her triumph over Iran’s Sara Bahmanyar in Female Kumite -50kg, Jovana Prekovic of Serbia prevailing over Slovakia’s Ingrida Suchankova in Female Kumite -61kg (3-0) and Russia’s Inga Sherozia defeating World championships runner-up Katrine Pedersen of Denmark 4-1 in Female Kumite -68kg complete the list of gold medallists at the closing event of the memorable year of international Karate.  

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