The 2023 Karate 1-Series A Richmond-Vancouver concluded Sunday with karatekas from Japan topping the final medal table of the event.

The delegation of Japan completed an impressive performance after finishing the event with four gold medals. Ayumi Yatoji won the title for the birth nation of the sport in Female Kumite -68kg after upsetting Skylar Lingl of the United States. The Japanese karateka won the final 2-0.

Team-mate Yuzuki Sawae followed suit and added one more gold for Japan in Female Kumite +68kg. Sawae defeated Cirrus Lingl of the United States 4-0.

The third gold for Japan was claimed by Hiromu Hashimoto in Male Kumite -60kg. The winner of the Karate 1-Series A Athens took his second title of the season following an impressive 6-0 triumph over team-mate Sena Kondo.

BIG UPSETS IN KATA

Nakaji Hisami of Japan caused one of the big upsets of the day as she dethroned the thus far Kata Queen in Karate 1-Series A this season, Mirisa Ohuchi. The Japanese karateka could not add her third title this year and was defeated in the final of Female Kata by Hisami with scores of 42.4 to 42.3.

Meanwhile, the surprising final of Male Kata was taken by Rey Chinen of the United States who beat Dyun Kimura of Brazil by 43.7 to 41.1. It is the first title in Senior competitions for the 2019 U21 World champion.

ONE GOLD FOR CANADA

Hosts of Canada celebrated one title at home as Hana Furumoto-Deshaies won the crown in Female Kumite -55kg. The local star beat Gulmira Ussenova of Kazakhstan 3-0 and added the title in Richmond-Vancouver to the bronze she won at the opening event of the season in Athens.

ALGERIA FINISH EVENT WITH TWO TITLES

The representatives of Algeria also had much to celebrate as they went home with two titles. Oussama Zaid became the champion in Male Kumite -75kg after beating Yusei Sakiyama of Japan 2-0.

Team-mate Falleh Midoune won the title in Male Kumite -84kg following a slim 5-4 victory over Janne Haubold of Germany, thus wrapping up the successful day for Algerian Karate.

PROMISING KARATEKAS SHINE IN RICHMOND-VANCOUVER

The clash of up-and-coming stars in Female Kumite -50kg went to Ema Sgardelli of Croatia. The promising Croatian karateka who is the current U21 European runner-up and U21 World Championships bronze medallist defeated Asia Agus of Italy by a slim 1-0.

In Female Kumite -61kg the crown went to Mexico. Ericka Gabriela Luque Sanchez defeated Belgium’s Maryam Ajaray 2-0 and claimed her first title in Senior international competitions.

In Male Kumite -67kg, Morteza Nemati of Iran surprised and beat Mexico’s Bernardo Solorzano 3-0 thus winning his first crown in Senior categories in three appearances.  

In another tight final, Athanasios Nikopoulos of Greece prevented one more gold for Mexico as he beat Pablo Andres Benavides Palomino in the final of Male Kumite +84kg. The Greek athlete won the final 5-4.

The crowns for Hong Kong and Kuwait in Female and Male Team Kata, respectively, completed the list of gold medallists in Richmond-Vancouver.

The 2023 Karate 1-Series A will travel now to Larnaca (Cyprus) where the fourth event of the season will be held from September 29 to October 1.

2023 KARATE 1 SERIES A RICHMOND-VANCOUVER