Day two of the 2023 World Karate Championships in Budapest saw athletes pushing through to the finals in various Male & Female Kumite categories. Among the galaxy of stars, Hungary’s Gabor Harspataki shone the brightest, carrying the hopes of the host nation into the finals of the Male Kumite -75kg category.
Here’s a comprehensive look at the final matchups across categories, spotlighting the blend of seasoned champions and emerging talents:
Male Kumite Finals:
-75kg: Gabor Harspataki (Hungary) vs. Abdalla Mamduh Abdelaziz (Egypt)
- The Hungarian sensation, Gabor Harspataki, has the nation’s hopes riding on his shoulders as he faces Egypt’s formidable Abdalla Mamduh Abdelaziz.
-67kg: Steven Dacosta (France) vs. Nenad Dulovic (Montenegro)
- France’s Steven Dacosta continues his impressive run, eyeing another title as he squares off against Montenegro’s Nenad Dulovic.
-60kg: Kaisar Alpysbay (Kazakhstan) vs. Christos-Stefanos Xenos (Greece)
- Kazakhstan’s Kaisar Alpysbay and Greece’s Christos-Stefanos Xenos are set for a scintillating face-off in the -60kg category.
Female Kumite Finals:
-50kg: Erminia Perfetto (Italy) vs. Moldir Zhangbyrbay (Kazakhstan)
- Italy’s Erminia Perfetto and Kazakhstan’s Moldir Zhangbyrbay will vie for the top spot in this keenly contested category.
-55kg: Tuba Yakan (Turkey) vs. Ivet Goranova (Bulgaria)
- The -55kg category will witness a clash of titans between Turkey’s Tuba Yakan and Bulgaria’s Ivet Goranova.
-61kg: Li Gong (China) vs. Fatma Naz Yenen (Turkey)
- The battle for supremacy in the -61kg category will see China’s Li Gong competing against Turkey’s Fatma Naz Yenen.
The excitement is palpable as the finals approach, with each matchup promising a fierce contest of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. The spotlight, undoubtedly, remains fixed on Hungary’s Gabor Harspataki, whose journey to the finals has stirred the local crowd into a frenzy of support. As the contenders ready themselves for the decisive battles, the 2023 World Karate Championships continue to epitomize the global camaraderie and competitive spirit that define the sport of Karate.
Bronze bouts:
Kumite Female -50kg
SALAMA REEM AHMED (EGYPT) vs LI RANRAN (CHINA)
OKAZAKI AIKA (JAPAN) vs SALAZAR CAMACHO YORGELIS (VENEZUELA)
Kumite Female -55kg
RAKHIMOVA SEVINCH (UZBEKISTAN) vs PEREZ BARBARA (VENEZUELA)
SAADATI FATEME (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN) vs TERLIUGA ANZHELIKA (UKRAINE)
Kumite Female -61kg
HOANG THI MY TAM (VIETNAM) vs SIVERT LAURA (FRANCE)
MAHJOUB WAFA (TUNISIA) vs ALY NOURSIN (EGYPT)
Kumite Male -60kg
IMRICH DOMINIK (SLOVAKIA) vs CRESCENZO ANGELO (ITALY)
ABOUKORA AMR ALAA (EGYPT) vs SAMDAN ERAY (TURKYE)
Kumite Male -67kg
GHAITH AFEEF (JORDAN) vs AMIRALI DIDAR (KAZAKHSTAN)
ALKHATHAMI FAHAD (SAUDI ARABIA) vs OEZDEMIR MUHAMMED (GERMANY)
Kumite Male -75kg
SHARAFUTDINOV ERNEST (INDIVIDUAL NEUTRAL ATHLETES) vs TURULJA HAMZA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
SCOTT THOMAS (USA) vs ZAPLITNYI ANDRII (UKRAINE)
As the competition rolls into its third day, excitement builds up for the Kumite Team events for both males and females, as well as the Male and Female Team Kata categories. The camaraderie and collective efforts of the teams will be on display, adding a layer of collaborative competition to the individual prowess showcased so far. Teams from across the globe will vie for supremacy in choreographed movements in Team Kata and strategic combat in Team Kumite, promising another day of riveting Karate action at the Papp Laszlo Budapest Sports Arena.