The first day of the 2022 European Karate Championships opened a new era with the success of many young athletes and the notable absence of the older generation, the generation of the 2020 Olympic Games.
England’s Brandon Brian Wilkins created the biggest upset of the day in Gaziantep (Turkey). The 21-year-old karateka made his debut in the senior category. He managed to climb into the final against Turkey’s Erman Eltemur, knocking out Olympic champion and five-time continental title holder Luigi Busa of Italy.
The young and promising karatekas Aicha Zakia Boussebaa from Hungary and Ivana Perovic from Serbia also produced surprising performances by reaching the final of Women’s Kumite +68 kg.
Another surprise with the qualification of Luca Costa from Belgium and Andjelo Kvesic from Croatia for the men’s +84 Kg final.
In Men’s Kumite -84kg, Enes Garibovic of Croatia and Daniel Gyorgy of Hungary were also favorites to become the new finalists in the category.
The German Anna Miggou, 24, and the Slovak Ingrida Suchankova, 29, will compete for the gold medal in women’s limit -61 kg.
Turkey and Spain will battle it out for Kata dominance in Europe as the two Kata category finals will see Spanish and Turkish karatekas battle it out for gold.