Azerbaijan’s Irina Zaretska was the star of Day 1 of the 2021 Karate Senior World Championships.

The Olympic silver medallist was the only defending World champion qualifying for the finals on the opening day of the competition.

“I came to the tatami and I did it the best that I could,” said Zaretska after reaching the final stage of the competition.

“I tried to have fun on the tatami and above all, I tried to show my best Karate.”

At 25-years-old, Zaretska is one of the karatekas in the best form of the international scene. A two-time World Championships medallist, the karateka defending the flag of Azerbaijan holds the current World and continental crowns and claimed the silver medal at the Olympic Games.

Now, she will fight to win back-to-back World titles.

“Today I did my job the best that I could.”

“I lost the Grand Winner award this season. I just want to keep the golden karategi (of defending champion) a little more time!” she jokes.

In Dubai, the fierce competitor who was born in Ukraine but changed nationality in 2014 began her participation with a convincing 5-1 victory over Nesrine Bougrine of Belgium. She continued her impressive performance defeating former team-mate Halyna Melnyk of Ukraine (2-0) and finished the pool round with a come-back triumph over Brazil’s Anna Prezzoti.

In the semi-finals, Zaretska starred in one of the highlights of the day as she upset 2016 World Champion Alisa Buchinger of Austria. The Azeri athlete outscored the former title-holder with a convincing 10-3 victory.

Zaretska will clash for the World title on Saturday against Silvia Semeraro of Italy.

“I like competing, it is what I like to do. And I hope I can continue doing it like I did today,” she added.

“After the Olympic Games, I became more mature, more experienced. Now, nothing stresses me anymore. The Olympics were my goal for so many years that now that we put that behind, I can focus on new goals.

“The Olympics are in the past. Now, I just think about what is to come”.