karate1
Surprising results in final day of Karate 1-Series A Santiago
2020-01-12

Karate’s rising stars and new names of the sport were the big winners of the 2020 Karate 1-Series A Santiago. The opening event of the season concluded on Sunday with surprising results and underdogs shocking favourites.
Karate’s rising stars and new names of the sport were the big winners of the 2020 Karate 1-Series A Santiago. The opening event of the season concluded on Sunday with surprising results and underdogs shocking favourites.
Iran’s Rozita Aliopourkeshka opened the door to the series of shocking upsets today in Santiago. The Iranian karateka who takes the fifth place in WKF World ranking surprised World champion Jovana Prekovic of Serbia in the final of Female Kumite -61kg. The current AKF Championships runner up edged Prekovic in a tight final 3-3 and won the first gold of the season for powerhouse nation of Iran.
(Rozita Aliopourkeshka)
The Iranian delegation took home three more gold medals. Hamideh Abbasali defeated China’s Hanqi Cao in the final of Female Kumite +68kg after winning the bout by “Hantei” or decision (0-0). In one of the few bouts finishing with victory for the favourites, World champion Bahman Ghoncheh Asgari defeated Brazil’s Bruno Texeira in the final of Male Kumite -75kg 5-1. The last gold medal for Iran was taken by Sajad Ganzjadeh.
SILVIA SEMERARO SURPRISES WORLD CHAMPION IRINA ZARETSKA
Surprises also dominated the category of Female Kumite -68kg, as Silvia Semeraro of Italy beat Grand Winner and current World champion Irina Zaretska of Azerbaijan. Semeraro had suffered a defeat against Zaretska in the final of the Karate 1-Premier League Madrid, where Zaretska took the title. This time, Semeraro avenged the upset and took the crown after prevailing in the final 1-0.
Meanwhile, in Male Kumite -60kg, Kaisar Alpysbay of Kazakhstan also prevailed over the top favourite. Two-time World champion Douglas Brose of Brazil could not overcome his rival, and Alpysbay won the title by “Hantei” or decision 0-0.
(Kaisar Alpysbay )
Favourites also suffered upsets in Male Kumite -84kg. Grand Winner Ugur Aktas saw how Iran’s Zabiollah Poorshab came back after every score from the current number one in WKF World ranking. Poorshab claimed the gold medal in a tight final 3-3.
GRAND WINNERS ALSO TAKE SPOTLIGHT
In a day marked by surprises, three Grand Winners managed to take home the gold medal. Serap Ozcelik of Turkey continues on an excellent form; after winning no less than six gold medals last year, the current Grand Winner claimed one more title following a convincing 7-3 victory over Yorgelis Salazar of Venezuela in Female Kumite -50kg.
Two finals today saw the current Grand Winner facing the last owner of the “Best of the best” award. Anzhelika Terliuga of Ukraine had a perfect debut of her new status as she defeated former Grand Winner Sara Cardin of Italy in the final of Female Kumite -55kg 2-0.
Meanwhile, Sajad Ganzjadeh of Iran who is the new Grand Winner edged the last leader of the category Jonathan Horne of Germany in the final of Male Kumite +84kg 2-0.
FOUR GOLD MEDALS FOR TURKEY
In addition to Ozcelik’s victory, the Turkish delegation finished the event with three more titles. Ali Sofuoglu beat team-mate Enes Ozdemir in the final of Male Kata while Burak Uygur claimed the title of Male Kumite -67kg following a 2-0 victory over Ali Elsawy of Egypt. The last gold for Turkey was taken by the Male Kata Team.
Viviana Bottaro of Italy who won gold in Female Kata over Turkey’s Dilara Eltemur completed the list of gold medallists in the opening event of the season.
Relive the finals of the 2020 Karate 1-Series A Santiago here: