The 2024 World Cadet, Junior & U21 Karate Championships continued on Friday with the U21 categories taking center stage at the Palazzo del Turismo in Lido de Jesolo, Venice. This session saw athletes from all over the world compete for prestigious U21 titles in both Kata and Kumite, with an array of thrilling finals and fierce bronze medal bouts.
As the competition enters its final stages, nations are securing their place at the top of the leaderboard, with Japan once again proving its dominance in the sport.
U21 Kata: Mastering the Art of Form
The U21 Kata divisions delivered captivating performances from young athletes who demonstrated elegance, focus, and discipline.
• U21 Kata Female Final:
In the female Kata category, Japan continued to shine, with Sato Kotomi securing gold after a remarkable display of poise and technique. Sato’s performance exemplified Japan’s long-standing tradition of excellence in Kata.
The bronze matches saw Gamova Natasa (Slovakia) and Manca Chiara (Belgium) take third place after overcoming tough opponents.
• U21 Kata Male Final:
In the male division, Hrcka Roman (Slovakia) took home the gold, defeating Vu Anthony (Sweden) in a closely contested final. Hrcka’s powerful and fluid Kata earned him the championship title.
Lueck Aidan Randall (Germany) and Ishikawa Taiga (Japan) secured bronze after competitive bronze medal matches, both demonstrating technical mastery.
U21 Kumite: Intensity and Strategy
The U21 Kumite finals were fiercely contested, with athletes showcasing speed, strategy, and power as they battled for top honors.
• U21 Kumite Female -50 kg Final:
Ishihara Mizuki (Japan) secured the gold in the -50 kg division, defeating Sgardelli Ema (Croatia) in an intense final.
In the bronze medal matches, Naghbeiranvand Yalda (Iran) and Sergaieva Valeriia (Ukraine) claimed third place after hard-fought victories.
• U21 Kumite Female -55 kg Final:
Saeidabadi Fatemehzahra (Iran) claimed gold after a strong performance against Elhawary Menatallah (Egypt) in the -55 kg final.
Bronze went to Samasheva Bella (Kazakhstan) and Yahiaoui Kenza (Algeria), who demonstrated resilience in their respective bronze medal contests.
• U21 Kumite Female -61 kg Final:
In the -61 kg final, Semenenko Anastasiia (Germany) took home the gold after an impressive display of tactical skill, defeating Tolba Rahma (Egypt).
Snajder Darija (Croatia) and Webb Iris (Australia) earned bronze medals, showcasing their fighting spirit in tough bronze medal bouts.
• U21 Kumite Female -68 kg Final:
Kurtes Marina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) secured the -68 kg title after a thrilling victory over Sombe Thalya (France).
Bronze was claimed by Golombos Nikolina (Croatia) and Pergolesi Asia (Italy) after two intense matches.
• U21 Kumite Female 68+ kg Final:
Iushkova Daria (Individual Neutral Athletes) won gold in the 68+ kg category, defeating Bao Bednarski Sophie (Sweden).
Golombos Nikolina (Croatia) and Pergolesi Asia (Italy) earned bronze medals in closely contested bouts.
• U21 Kumite Male -60 kg Final:
Abdelmalki Amin (Belgium) secured the gold after a thrilling contest against Kilic Nuri (Turkiye) in the -60 kg division.
Bronze medals went to Youssef Mohamed (Egypt) and Timmer Eric (Switzerland).
• U21 Kumite Male -67 kg Final:
Omara Adel (Egypt) took gold in the -67 kg category after defeating Akhmedov Akhmed (Individual Neutral Athletes) in the final.
Goncalves Guilherme (Portugal) and Stepanov Artur (Latvia) claimed bronze after their respective victories.
• U21 Kumite Male -75 kg Final:
Yurur Omer Faruk (Turkiye) emerged victorious in the -75 kg final, defeating Farag Youssef (Egypt) to claim the gold medal.
Bronze medals were awarded to Assemat Hugo (France) and Sulamanidze Ika (Georgia).
• U21 Kumite Male -84 kg Final:
Aljafari Mohammad (Jordan) won the gold medal after a tense battle with Osman Omar (Egypt) in the -84 kg final.
Bronze went to Pezzotti Gabriele (Italy) and Abe Yosuke (Japan), both of whom delivered exceptional performances.
• U21 Kumite Male 84+ kg Final:
In the 84+ kg final, Bostandzic Anes (Bosnia and Herzegovina) secured the gold, defeating Avanzini Matteo (Italy) in a powerful contest.
Sekot Nikolai (Germany) and Nofal Yousef (Jordan) earned bronze after impressive bouts in their respective bronze medal matches.
Medal Tally: Country-by-Country Breakdown
As of the conclusion of Friday’s U21 finals, here’s a look at the overall medal tally:
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Medals
Conclusion
The 2024 World Cadet, Junior & U21 Karate Championships in Venice continue to thrill spectators as athletes from around the globe battle for top honors. Japan, Egypt, and Italy remain the dominant forces, consistently topping the medal tables and producing world-class performances.
With more finals still to come, the Championships are far from over, and the anticipation builds as we move closer to the final medal matches. Stay tuned for more updates from the tournament!