As the 2019 edition of the Karate 1-Premier League concluded in Madrid, the new Grand Winners were officially confirmed. Get to know the Best of the Best of the year in Karate’s biggest international event. 

As the 2019 edition of the Karate 1-Premier League concluded in Madrid, the new Grand Winners were officially proclaimed. Get to know the Best of the Best of the year in Karate’s biggest international event. 

FEMALE KATA: SANDRA SANCHEZ (ESP)

Spain’s Sandra Sanchez won the Grand Winner award for the third consecutive year after winning the final event in Madrid. The current World champion prevailed at home and won the honour of being the best of the season in a heart-breaking final against top rival Kiyou Shimizu of Japan. With this recognition, Sanchez adds one more honour to her impressive list of awards and secures the top position in WKF World ranking and in the Olympic Standings. 

Honours in 2019:  

- 4 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Moscow, Shanghai, Dubai)
- 2 gold medals in Karate 1-Series A (Istanbul, Salzburg)
- 3 silver medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Tokyo, Rabat, Paris)
- Gold medal in European Championships
- Gold medal in European Games 

FEMALE KUMITE -50KG: SERAP OZCELIK ARAPOGLU (TUR)

One of the most successful competitors this year, Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu of Turkey completed a memorable season to keep the Grand Winner award for the third consecutive year. After claiming gold in the events of Shanghai, Rabat, Dubai and Paris, the Turkish fierce competitor wrapped up a remarkable year with a silver medal in Madrid. As the current WKF World ranking and Olympic standings leader wins the right to wear the special Grand Winners karategi for the third year in a row, Ozcelik maintains impressive domination of the category. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid)
- 2 gold medals in Karate 1-Series A (Santiago, Istanbul)
- 2 bronze medals in Karate 1-Series A (Montreal, Salzburg)
- 4 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Shanghai, Rabat, Dubai, Paris)
- Bronze medal at the European Championships
- Silver medal at the European Games 

FEMALE KUMITE -55KG: ANZHELIKA TERLIUGA (UKR)

The 2019 season of Karate 1-Premier League had Anzhelika Terliuga of Ukraine as one of the biggest stars of the year. The 27-year-old karateka has been in six out of seven finals of Karate 1-Premier League events this year, winning gold medals in Moscow, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rabat and Paris. With this outstanding performance, the Ukrainian karateka who takes the first position in WKF World ranking and second place in the Olympic standings earned the right to be the Grand Winner for the second time after winning the honour in 2017. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 5 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rabat, Paris)
- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Series A (Santiago)
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Series A (Salzburg)
- Silver medal European Games 

FEMALE KUMITE -61KG: XIAOYAN YIN (CHN)

As the leader of WKF ranking and Olympic standings, Xiaoyan Yin of China has extended her domination of the category of Female Kumite -61kg following an excellent season. The 26-year-old athlete has taken eight medals this year including golds in Madrid, Shanghai, Rabat and in the Asian Championships. With her triumph in the closing event of the season this past week, Xiaoyan Yin recovers the Grand Winner award which she won in 2017. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 3 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Shanghai, Rabat)
- 2 bronze medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow, Tokyo)
- Gold at the Asian Championships
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Series A (Montreal)
- 1 gold medal in Karate 1-Series A (Salzburg) 

FEMALE KUMITE -68KG: IRINA ZARETSKA (AZERBAIJAN)

The current World champion and Olympic standing leader Irina Zaretska of Azerbaijan used the victory in the last event of the season in Madrid to claim her second Grand Winner award. The defending World title-holder had won the “Best of the Best” crown two years ago and now earns the right to wear the special golden karategi again after a praiseworthy performance this year. Zaretska claimed golds in Madrid, Moscow and Tokyo to keep her leading position in the category of Female Kumite +68kg. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 3 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Moscow, Tokyo)
- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Series A (Istanbul)
- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Dubai)
- Silver medal at European Games 

FEMALE KUMITE +68KG: AYUMI UEKUSA (JPN)

Ayumi Uekusa of Japan is one of the six competitors who are keeping the Grand Winner status one more year. The Japanese karateka wins the Best of the Best crown for the third consecutive season thus stating her supremacy in the category. Leader of the WKF World ranking and placed in 3rd position in the Olympic standings, Uekusa took gold medals in the Karate 1-Premier League events of Tokyo and Paris. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow)
- 2 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Tokyo, Paris)
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Shanghai)

MALE KATA: RYO KIYUNA (JPN)

The most dominant competitor of the season in Karate 1-Premier League was Ryo Kiyuna of Japan. The current World champion has claimed gold in six of the seven events thus securing the Grand Winner award for the second consecutive year. The 29-year-old karateka who is the leader of the Olympic standings and who was absent in the last event of the season has starred in an exciting duel against Damian Quintero of Spain this season, with the Japanese Kata ace imposing his domination of the category. 

Honours in 2019: 

- Six gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rabat, Dubai, Paris)
- Gold at the Asian Championships

MALE KUMITE -60KG: DARKHAN ASSADILOV (KAZ)

Kazakhstan’s Darkhan Assadilov became the biggest sensation of the season after storming to the top of Karate’s stardom this year. The 32-year-old athlete had only won one gold in Karate 1-Premier League before this season. In 2019, however, Assadilov has claimed no less than five golds in Karate 1-Premier League including the title at the last event in Madrid. The Kazakh karateka therefore wins the Grand Winner award for the first time and claims his place in Karate’s elite. 

Honours in 2019: 

- Five gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rabat, Dubai)
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Series A (Santiago)
- 2 gold medals in Karate 1-Series A (Montreal, Salzburg)

MALE KUMITE -67KG: STEVEN DACOSTA (FRA)

At 22-years-old, Steven Dacosta of France is the youngest of the Grand Winners class of 2019. Nonetheless, the French flashy competitor boasts a remarkable tally of titles including gold medals at the World and European Championships. The current owner of the world and continental crowns confirmed the Grand Winner award after prevailing at the events in Moscow, Dubai and Paris. His success has been even more remarkable since Dacosta had to recover from an injury mid-season.  

Honours in 2019: 

- 1 bronze in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid)
- 3 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow, Dubai, Paris) 

MALE KUMITE -75KG: RAFAEL AGHAYEV (AZE)

Five-time World champion Rafael Aghayev of Azerbaijan continues making history for the sport; after winning no less than five world titles and ten continental crowns, the fan favourite karateka claims now the Grand Winner award for the second consecutive year. The 34-year-old karateka won gold at the events in Moscow to secure the distinction of the Best of the Best and the top position in WKF World ranking. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 1 gold medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow)
- 2 silver medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Tokyo, Paris)
- 2 bronze medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Rabat, Dubai)
- Silver medal at the European Championships
- Silver medal at the European Games 

MALE KUMITE -84KG: UGUR AKTAS (TURKEY)

Ugur Aktas of Turkey won the gold medal at the closing event of the season to secure the Grand Winner award. The current European champion had prevailed at the events in Dubai and Shanghai to earn the Best of the Best crown for the second consecutive year. This successful performance sends the 24-year-old karate to the top of the WKF World ranking and the Olympic standings. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 3 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Dubai, Shanghai)
- 2 gold medals in Karate 1-Series A (Santiago, Montreal)
- 2 silver medals in Karate 1-Series A (Istanbul, Salzburg)
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Rabat)
- Gold at the European Championships

MALE KUMITE +84KG: SAJAD GANJZADEH (IRI)

After one year away of the golden karategi, Sajad Ganjzadeh of Iran recovers the Grand Winner award after an efficient season. The current leader of the WKF World ranking has taken three gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League this year including the crown at the closing event in Madrid. The 27-year-old karateka has used his honours this year to reach the top of WKF World ranking and to take the second position in the Olympic standings. 

Honours in 2019: 

- 3 gold medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Madrid, Shanghai, Rabat)
- 1 silver medal in Karate 1-Premier League (Moscow)
- Bronze at the Asian Championships
- 1 bronze medal in Karate 1-Series A (Montreal)
- 2 bronze medals in Karate 1-Premier League (Dubai, Paris) 

All the Grand Winners will wear the special karategi with the golden embroidery on the shoulders next year. The ceremony of the Grand Winner awards will be held in Paris (France) on January 25th, during the Karate 1-Premier League event there.