The 2019 Karate 1-Series A Montreal finished Sunday with Japanese and Turkish karatekas topping the medal table of the event. Ugur Aktas, Hikaru Ono, Kazusama Moto and Ayaka Tadano were among the stars of the third stop of the season of Karate 1-Series A.
With only a few days to making his debut at the European Games, Turkey’s Ugur Aktas demonstrated an outstanding level and won the title in Montreal. The current Grand Winner who also claimed gold at the Karate 1-Premier League Shanghai barely two weeks ago dominated the competition in Male Kumite -84kg in Montreal. Aktas reached the top of the podium after defeating Michele Martina of Italy 3-0 thus earning his sixth medal in seven events this season.
Ugur Aktas’ triumph paved the way for the success of Turkish delegation in Montreal. The Male Kata team took the gold medal in the category of combined choreographed movements while Alparslan Yamanoglu won the title in Male Kumite +84kg. The Turkish representative upset local hopeful Daniel Gaysinsky in the final 2-1 and prevented hosts from taking a gold medal at home.
Japanese karatekas also finished the event on a high note after winning four gold medals to a total of 11 awards. The representatives of the birth nation of the sport showed their prevalence in individual kata, as they took seven out of the eight medals at stake. The titles in the category of choreographed movements went to Hikaru Ono and Kazumasa Moto. Hikaru Ono beat team-mate Maho Ono after excelling with her “Chatanyara Kushanku” kata and a score of 25.86 by 25.4 of Maho Ono. Meanwhile, Kazumasa Moto took gold after edging team-mate Kakeru Nishiyama and a score of 26.38 (score of 26.0 for Nishiyama).
Ayaka Tadano took the third gold for Japan after prevailing in Female Kumite -50kg. The winner of Karate 1-Series A Salzburg took the second title at the event this year following a convincing 6-0 victory over China’s Ranran Li.
Yugo Kozaki completed the gold medal count for Japan with his title in Male Kumite -67kg. The current U21 World and continental champion edged Grand Winner Burak Uygur of Turkey by ‘Hantei’ or decision and earned the fourth gold for Japan.
The Karate 1-Series A Montreal also crowned karatekas who went back to winning ways in the third stop of the season. Darkhan Assadilov of Kazakhstan took his fourth title of the year after defeating Japan’s Sago Naoto by a slim 1-0. Meanwhile, Thomas Scott of the USA who had not claimed a gold medal this year since his title at the Pan American Championships beat Turkey’s Erman Eltemur by a convincing 4-0 in Male Kumite -75kg.
In Female Kumite -61kg Alexandra Grande of Peru upset World champion Jovana Prekovic of Serbia 1-0 so to win her first title this year. Surprises continued in Female Kumite -55kg since Sabina Zakahrova of Kazakhstan shocked World Championships runner-up Jana Bitsch of Germany. The Kazakh karateka defeated favorite Bitsch by 2-1.
Italian representatives also had reasons to celebrate after taking two gold medals in Montreal. Silvia Semeraro dominated in Female Kumite -68kg following a convincing 6-1 victory over Kayo Someya of Japan. Team-mate Clio Ferracuti also won gold after prevailing in Female Kumite +68kg. Ferracuti won the final bout over Germany’s Johanna Kneer by “Hantei” or decision.
The Karate 1-Series A travels now to Santiago (Chile) where the last event of the season will take place from September 20 to 22.
Source: www.wkf.net
