The first day of the 2024 European Karate Federation (EKF) Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships in Kumite categories erupted with electrifying action as competitors showcased their skills and determination.

In the Cadet Kumite -47kg Female final, Jana Vincic of Serbia will face off against Beyza Akkaya of Turkiye in an anticipated match. Vincic secured the ticket to the final with a 4-1 triumph against Szofia Dalnoki of Hungary, while Akkaya triumphed over Konstantina Efstathiou of Cyprus with a score of 2-0.

Moving to the Cadet Kumite Female -54kg category, Ili Hellen of Germany and Bianca Capone of Italy will clash for gold on Sunday. Hellen emerged victorious in the semifinals with a commanding 3-0 win over Nehir Kilic of Turkiye, while Capone secured her qualification to the final with a 7-3 victory against Masa Miranovic of Serbia.

In the Cadet Kumite Female -61kg division, Laura Strahija of Croatia will clash with Elize Bauld of Scotland. Strahija secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Vitoria Bazyuk of Portugal in the semifinals, while Bauld dominated with a 3-0 win against Mesude Yalin of Turkiye.

The Cadet Kumite Female +61kg final will see Una Rakovic of Montenegro face off against Dalia Dawoud of Germany. Rakovic claimed victory with a 2-0 win over Eva Livet of France in the semifinals, as Dawoud emerged triumphant with a score of 9-3 against Nicole Corredu of Italy.

In the Cadet Kumite Male categories, Gigi Alania of Georgia will meet Maksym Viechkanov of Ukraine in the -52kg final, much to the celebration of the local fans. The Georgian representative beat Vusal Ganbarov of Azerbaijan 4-1 and his rival in the final defeated Youssef Abdelmalki of Belgium 2-1.

Serhii Stankov of Ukraine is set to face Leo Lambert of France in the -57kg final after a heavily contested semifinal. Stankov upset Unai Chica Tolosa of Spain 5-3, and Lambert won the ticket over Mathis Alves Torcato of Belgium 1-0.

Vuk Vucinic of Montenegro will compete against Rayan Zoueini of Belgium in the -63kg final. The karateka from Montenegro edged Aladdin Malikov of Azerbaijan 1-1 as Zoueini beat Nikola Birac of Croatia 2-0.

 Meanwhile, Ali Arnautovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina will clash with Hela Kiria of Ukraine in the -70kg final. The two athletes earned the ticket to the final following a 3-1 victory over Anes Arijaf of Montenegro and a slim 1-1 triumph over Almerico Tommasino of Italy, respectively.

Additionally, Jahangir Gayibov of Azerbaijan will face Lenny Malcoiffe of France in the +70kg final. While Malcoiffe upset Mateliunas Eirintas of Lithuania 12-3, Gayibov upset David Lanchas Vera of Spain 6-0.

With each match showcasing the immense talent and dedication of the young athletes, the first day of the EKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships set the stage for an exhilarating tournament ahead, promising more gripping encounters and unforgettable moments in the days to come.

2024 EKF CADET, JUNIOR & U21 CHAMPIONSHIPS