The fourth day of the ongoing 2023 World Karate Championships in Budapest saw a flurry of surprises as the Team Kumite competition unfolded. The day was marked by unanticipated victories, with newcomers Egypt and Jordan for Male category, and Spain and Japan for Female category advancing to the final bouts for the coveted gold.
In a surprising turn of events, the Male Team Kumite category witnessed Egypt and Jordan making it to the finals for the first time.
The competition for bronze in the Male Team Kumite will see Kazakhstan facing France, and Italy squaring off against Azerbaijan.
In the Female Team Kumite, a new chapter will be written as Spain and Japan vie for the championship title. Japan, returning to the finals after clinching silver in 2018, aims to reclaim the glory they last tasted in 2006. Spain, on the flip side, marks its return to the finals after a seven-year hiatus.
The bronze medal contests in the Female Team Kumite category will feature Kosovo against Kazakhstan, and Hungary against Croatia.
Day 4 also spotlighted the Para-Karate competition, celebrating the spirit of inclusivity in the sport. The bronze medal bouts witnessed athletes from various nations claiming their well-deserved awards. Benedetta Beloti of Italy, Marwa Hasany of Egypt, Jose Roberto Gonzalez of Mexico, and Alexe Dorin of Romania clinched bronze in the Blind/Visually Impaired K10 Female and Male category.
In the Intellectually Impaired K21 category, the bronzes were awarded to Elise Reedjik of The Netherlands, Federica Yakymashko of Italy, Antonio Pereira of Portugal, and Moustafa Hassan of Egypt. The K22 category saw Natalia Olson of Canada, Daniela Topic of Croatia, Hazem Elsabbagh of Egypt, and Joao Estrela Azevedo of Portugal as the bronze medalists.
The Wheelchair user K30 category honored Nesrin Cavadzade of Turkiye, Virginie Boyer of France, Vidadi Khaligov of Azerbaijan, and Eldar Ahmadov of Azerbaijan with bronze medals.
The Senior finals and bronze medal bouts are scheduled to commence tomorrow, Saturday, and will continue through Sunday, promising a weekend of high-octane Karate action. The anticipation among the athletes and fans is palpable as the championships gear up for a thrilling conclusion, where new champions will be crowned and the exemplary spirit of Karate will be celebrated on a global stage.