The 2020 Karate 1-Premier League starts in a week in Paris (France) and the best karatekas in the world are ready to fight for the gold medals and for the coveted points to ascend in the Olympic standings. Who will win in Paris?

The 2020 Karate 1-Premier League starts in a week in Paris (France) and the best karatekas in the world are ready to fight for the gold medals. The coveted points to ascend in the Olympic standings are also at stake. Who will win in Paris?

FIRST EVENT OF THRILLING SEASON

The historic year of international Karate started last weekend with the Karate 1-Series A Santiago. However, the opening event of Karate’s first-class series of events takes places in Paris. Traditionally the first Karate 1-Premier League of the season, the tournament in the capital of France inaugurates a season with even more relevance as the sport is getting closer and closer to make its debut in the Olympic Games. The Karate 1-Premier League is – after the World Championships – the competition attributing more points to the Olympic Standings.


(Steven Dacosta)

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

As the only venue hosting Karate 1-Premier League events in all the nine editions of Karate’s first-class series of international competitions, the Karate 1-Premier League Paris is one of the most prestigious tournaments of the international scene. Karatekas competing this year in the capital of France will be part of a historic event since the Karate 1-Premier League Paris will be the last major international event in the city before the anticipated Olympic Qualification Tournament in May.

FACTS

- After Paris, the 2020 Karate 1-Premier League Paris travels to Dubai (UAE), Salzburg (Austria), Rabat (Morocco), Madrid (Spain) and Moscow (Russia).
- Over 700 competitors from no less than 92 countries have confirmed their participation in the 2020 Karate 1-Premier League Paris.
- Last year 20 countries went home with medals.
- In the last edition of the event in Paris, Japan topped the medal table with four gold medals. French athletes also registered deserving performances with two titles.
- Competitors taking gold in Paris will receive between 870 and 990 points, depending on the category and the number of bouts.

(Darkan Assadilov (KAZ))

- The current leaders of the Olympic standings are Ryo Kiyuna of Japan (Male Kata), Darkhan Assadilov of Kazakhstan (Male Kumite -67kg), Bahman Ghoncheh Asgari of Iran (Male Kumite -75kg), Ugur Aktas of Turkey (Male Kumite +75kg), Sandra Sanchez of Spain (Female Kata), Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu of Turkey (Female Kumite -55kg), Xiaoyan Yin of China (Female Kumite -61kg) and Irina Zaretska of Azerbaijan (Female Kumite +61kg).
- No less than 19 countries have thus far placed athletes among the top 4 competitors who will qualify to the Olympics by standings in each category.
- Iran, Turkey and Italy, with four competitors each are the countries with more representatives among the top 4 in the Olympic standings for the moment.
- No less than 204 territories around the world are broadcasting the event.
- The 2020 Karate 1-Premier League takes place in Stadium Pierre de Coubertin in Paris (82 avenue Georges Lafont).


(Portugal Female Kata Team)

- Over 100 journalists from over 25 countries are expected to attend the event.
- The 2019 Grand Winners will be honoured at the Karate 1-Premier League Paris. The awarding ceremony of the best competitors of last season is scheduled for Saturday at 19.30.
- The Grand Winners are the best competitors of the season in Karate 1-Premier League in each category. They are the only athletes who are allowed to wear the special karategi with the golden embroidery on the shoulders.
- The current Grand Winners are Sandra Sanchez of Spain (Female Kata), Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu of Turkey (Female Kumite -50kg), Anzhelika Terliuga of Ukraine (Female Kumite -55kg), Xiaoyan Yin of China (Female Kumite -61kg), Irina Zaretska of Azerbaijan (Female Kumite -68kg), Ayumi Uekusa of Japan (Female Kumite +68kg), Ryo Kiyuna of Japan (Male Kata), Darkhan Assadilov of Kazakhstan (Male Kumite -60kg), Steven Dacosta of France (Male Kumite -67kg), Rafael Aghayev of Azerbaijan (Male Kumite -75kg), Ugur Aktas of Turkey (Male Kumite -84kg) and Sajad Ganjzadeh of Iran (Male Kumite +84kg).

(Jana Bitsch (GER) celebrates)

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

- Friday, 09:00 – 19:45: Elimination rounds
(Female Kata, Male Team Kata, Male Kumite -60kg, Male Kumite -67kg, Male Kumite -75kg, Female Kumite -50kg, Female Kumite -55kg)
- Saturday, 09:00 – 19:30: Elimination rounds
(Male Kata, Female Team Kata, Female Kumite -61kg, Female Kumite -68kg, Female Kumite +68kg, Male Kumite -84kg, Male Kumite +84kg)
- Saturday, 19:30-20:00: Grand Winners ceremony
- Sunday, 09:30-13:30: Bronze medal bouts
- Sunday, 14:30 – 16:30: Finals
- Sunday, 16:30 – 17:00: Awarding ceremony

GOLD MEDALLISTS IN 2019 KARATE 1-PREMIER LEAGUE PARIS

- Female Kata: Kiyou Shimizu (JPN)
- Female Kumite -50kg: Serap Ozcelik Arapoglu (TUR)
- Female Kumite -55kg: Anzhelika Terliuga (UKR)
- Female Kumite -61kg: Gwendoline Philippe (FRA)
- Female Kumite -68kg: Elena Quirici (SUI)
- Female Kumite +68kg: Ayumi Uekusa (JPN)
- Male Kata: Ryo Kiyuna (JPN)
- Male Kumite -60kg: Majid Hassan Niadelaimi (IRI)
- Male Kumite -67kg: Steven Dacosta (FRA)
- Male Kumite -75kg: Ken Nishimura (JPN)
- Male Kumite -84kg: Anton Isakau (BLR)
- Male Kumite +84kg: Gogita Arkania (GEO)

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