July 8, 2022 will sound like the last coronation and the end of the Sandra Jaime Sanchez era. Olympic champion, double world champion, 7 times European champion, the Spaniard bows out on a last title.
Like Sanchez, Terliuga assumes her favorite status and wins the World Games in -55 kg.
In the other categories, there were many surprises: Tsukii (-50 kg), Figueira (-67 kg), Anis (-60 kg) and Moto (Kata) leave with gold.
By Florian Fournier and Ludovic Mauchien / Photo: World Games
KATA F: Sanchez of course !
She was expected, she answered present. The Spaniard Sandra Sanchez ends her career in style with another victory, the 29th. 5 matches, 5 wins, notably in the semi-final against Grace Lau. Congrats !
Final
Sanchez (Esp) b. Ono (Jap), 27.92 - 27
Bronze
Lau (HK) b. Casale (Ita), 26.28 - 25.54
Podium
1.Sanchez (Spain)
2.Ono (Jap)
3.Lau (HK)
KATA M: Moto accelerates
In Kiyuna's absence, the games were open, even if Damian Quintero appeared as the contender N°1. But Japan has enormous resources in Kata. After defeating Busato in the ½ final, Kazumasa Moto won the Spaniard in the final. Antonio Diaz, who was playing his last tournament, could not get out of pools.
Final
Moto (Jap) b. Quintero (Spain), 26.60 – 26.26
Bronze
Tozaki (USA) b. Busato (Ita), 26.20 – 25.92
Podium
1.Moto (Jap)
2.Quintero (Spain)
3.Tozaki (USA)
-50 kg : Tsukii opens heur records
We were expecting the reigning double world champion, Miho Miyahara. The Filipina of Japanese origin, Junna Tsukii, created the sensation by dominating her in the ½ final (4-3). In the other ½ final, the young Venezuelan Salazar held her rank by beating the surprising Taiwanese Shiau-Shua. Tsukki thus won her first major title.
Final
Tsukii (Phi) b. Salazar (Fri), 2-0
Bronze
Miyahara (Jap) b. Shiau-Shuang (Tpe), 4-0
Podium
1.Tsukii (Phi)
2.Salazar (Fri)
3.Miyahara (Jap)
-55kg : Terliuga with no doubt
We were expecting the Goranova-Terliuga duel. It occurred in pools with a win of the Ukrainian (3-0). The Bulgarian Olympic champion does not qualify (2 losses, 1 win). For her part, Anzhelica Terliuga made a strong impression, dominating Allen 8-1 in the ½ final.
World champion Ahlam Youssef, impressive in the pool (6-2, 9-1…) had to work harder in the ½ final against Jennifer Warling, who just missed out on the feat (0-0).
In the final, the European champion beat the world champion on the wire (1-0).
Final
Terliuga (Ukr) b. Youssef (Egy), 1-0
Bronze
Allen (USA) v Warling (Lux), 6-0
Podium
1.Terliuga (Ukr)
2.Youssef (Egy)
3. Allen (USA)
-60 kg : Anis, the big, big upset
This is certainly the biggest surprise of this 1st day. The Algerian Helassa Ayoub Anis first got out of the pool by beating Assadilov (5-2) before dominating Shaaban in the ½ final and, above all, the favorite in the final.
Anis won 4-0 against world champion Douglas Brose ! The latter had defeated Angelo Crescenzo in the ½ final (4-2).
Final
Anis (Alg) b. Brose (Bra), 4-0
Bronze
Crescenzo (Ita) b. Shaaban (Kuw) 1-1
Podium
1.Anis (Alg)
2.Brose (Bra)
3. Crescenzo (Ita)
-67 kg : Figueira on his top again
Not many people would have bet on this final. At the end of the pools, 2 strong men appeared : Dionysios and Maresca (no points conceded). But the ½ finals delivered a verdict contrary to their desires. Figueira topped Maresca 1-0 and Tadissi beat Dionysios 3-0.
The Brazilian, out of form in recent months, found back his karate at the right time and opened his world record by offering himself a ride in the final against the Hungarian (4-0).
Final
Figueira (Bra) b. Tadissi (Hun), 4-0
Bronze
Dionysios (Gre) b. Maresca (Ita), 1-0
Podium
1.Figueira (Bra)
2.Tadissi (Hon)
3.Dionysios (Gre)
