The final event of the season of Karate 1-Premier League concluded in Madrid (Spain) with a celebration of the sport as Karate is getting close to make its Olympic debut. The new Grand Winners were crowned in Madrid and heroes of the sport such as Sandra Sanchez, Xiaoyan Yin, Irina Zaretska and Ugur Aktas among others earned the honour of being proclaimed the “Best of the Best” of the season.  

The final event of the season of Karate 1-Premier League concluded in Madrid (Spain) with a celebration of the sport as Karate is getting close to make its Olympic debut. The new Grand Winners were crowned in Madrid and heroes of the sport such as Sandra Sanchez, Xiaoyan Yin, Irina Zaretska and Ugur Aktas among others earned the honour of being proclaimed the “Best of the Best” of the season.  

SANDRA SANCHEZ WINS GRAND WINNER AWARD AT HOME

Just as it happened in the last previous six finals of the Karate 1-Premier League and in the last edition of the World Championships, the final of Female Kata had Kiyou Shimizu of Japan and Sandra Sanchez of Spain competing for gold. The home-ground factor was again crucial, and Sandra Sanchez used the support from the stands to win the gold medal. The Spanish World champion performed “Chatanyara Kushanku” and got a score of 27.0 for 26.28 of Shimizu. 

This victory represents the fourth Karate 1-Premier League crown for Sanchez this year as well as the Grand Winner award. The current World and European title-holder edges Shimizu in the race to the Grand Winner honour so to keep the golden karategi for the second year in a row. 

Sandra Sanchez said: “I am very happy because the Grand Winner award recognises the efficiency and the hard work throughout the season. Winning the title at home, in front of so many friends supporting me makes it even more special”

DAMIAN QUINTERO COMPLETES DREAM KATA PERFORMANCE FOR HOSTS 

After claiming no less than five silver medals this year, Damian Quintero of Spain finally got to reach the top of the podium. The Spanish fan favourite succeeded at home and completed the dream tournament for Spaniards in individual Kata categories. Quintero defeated Turkey’s Ali Sofuoglu in the final after excelling in his performance of “Suparinpei” kata (score of 26.12 for 25.92 of Sofuoglu). 

Damian Quintero said: “I felt very good during the eliminations but my performance today was not as brilliant as in previous tournaments such as in Moscow where I did the same kata in the final. Nonetheless, it helped me to win the title and it makes me very happy, especially considering that this victory means that I secured the ticket to the Olympic Games.”

THREE GOLD MEDALS FOR KAZAKHSTAN

Kazak karatekas were the big winners of the tournament as they wrapped up the event with no less than three gold medals. Darkhan Assadilov completed a sensational season and claimed his fifth Karate 1-Premier League crown this year. The newly-proclaimed Grand Winner won gold in Male Kumite -60kg after taking the final over team-mate Kaisar Alpysbay who was absent of the bout due to an injury. 

The second gold medal for Kazakhstan was claimed by Yermek Ainazarov who defeated Logan Da Costa of France in the final of Male Kumite -75kg. Ainazarov took his first-ever gold medal in Karate 1-Premier League after winning the match by “Hantei” or decision (0-0). 

Kazakhstan wrapped up a memorable performance in Madrid with the title in Female Kumite +84kg. Sofya Berultseva surprised favourite Eleni Chatziliadou of Greece in the final with a slim 1-0 victory. A Yuko is all that the Kazak sensation needed to take her second gold medal in Karate 1-Premier League this year. 

XIAOYAN YIN CELEBRATES GRAND WINNER TITLE WITH VICTORY

China’s Xiaoyan Yin put a golden finishing touch to her outstanding season after prevailing in the final of Female Kumite -61kg. The former Grand Winner re-took the honour of being the “Best of the Best” following a tight 1-0 victory over Russia’s Nailya Gataullina. It is the fifth gold medal for Xiaoyan Yin this year after her triumphs in the continental championships and in the events in Shanghai, Rabat and Salzburg. 

BAKHRINISO BABAEVA UPSETS FAVOURITE SERAP OZCELIK ARAPOGLU

The biggest upset of the day came in Female Kumite -50kg. Top favourite Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu, who just confirmed her third consecutive Grand Winner title, was defeated by Bakhriniso Babaeva of Uzbekistan in a roller-coaster final (3-3). It is the first gold in Karate 1-Premier League for Babaeva and her second biggest title after the continental crown she claimed this year at home in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). 

IRINA ZARETSKA RECOVERS GRAND WINNER AWARD

The Grand Winner award in Female Kumite -68kg went back to Irina Zaretska of Azerbaijan who owned the golden karategi in 2018. With her victory at the last event of the year, the current World champion added the Karate 1-Premier League Madrid title and the Grand Winner crown to her ample list of honours. Zaretska defeated Italy’s Silvia Semeraro in the final 2-0 with two effective “Yuko”.

Irina Zaretska said: “This tournament was very important to me because the Grand Winner award was to be decided here. Now, I won gold and the Grand Winner title and that means that I will wear the golden karategi next year. Word cannot describe what I am feeling. I am the first in the Olympic ranking and in the World ranking, I am the World champion and now also Grand Winner. I am proud of all the hard work that I did to be here.” 

UGUR AKTAS SHOWS OUTSTANDING LEVEL

The most one-sided final today occurred in Male Kumite -84kg. Turkey’s Ugur Aktas beat Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yuldashev 5-0 so to wrap up a sensational season. With this victory, the current European Champion from Turkey regains the Grand Winner award and will wear the golden karategi for the second consecutive year. Aktas dominated the final bout from beginning to end and confirmed his status as one of the leading forces of today’s Karate. 

Ugur Aktas said: “The Grand Winner title in my category was not clear before coming here to Madrid. I am happy because I could be in the final, take the Grand Winner award and win the gold medal. I hope that next year I will continue taking golds. I have to be strong in this competition to earn the ticket to the Olympic Games”. 

GRAND WINNER AWARD GIVES SAJAD GANJZADEH STRENGTH 

Iran’s Sajad Ganjzadeh arrived to the last event of the season with the title of Grand Winner under his belt. His “Best of the Best” status was further confirmed in Madrid since the Iranian World Championships runner-up took his third title of the year. The new Grand Winner defeated France’s Jacquet Dnylson in the final of Male Kumite +84kg 4-0. 

The title taken by Amir Mehdizadeh over Turkey’s Ozer Omer Abdurrahim in Male Kumite -67kg and Egypt’s Yasmin Attia’s triumph in Female Kumite -55kg over Turkey’s Tuba Yakan (3-0) completed the list of winners today. Japan and Turkey took the crowns in Female Team Kata and Male Team Kata respectively.