About twenty nations (Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan…) will be this weekend (April 10-11) in the National training center in Châtenay-Malabry (near Paris) for the 2nd test-matches organized by the French federation. All the French team, Crescenzo, Brose, Quirici, Plank…

By Ludovic Mauchien / Photo: Kphotos

We get to the heart of the matter. After the 1st test-matches tarnished by the many contact cases within the French group, where the logic of pleasure prevailed, it’s time for serious things.

These 2nd test matches serve as a selection test for the European championships in Porec in May, with the hypothetical Karate 1 in Lisbon scheduled in 3 weeks (April 30 - May 2).

Obviously, “the” duel to follow concerns France’s -61 kg and the opposition between Gwendoline Philippe and Leïla Heurtault, who can still both qualify for Tokyo via the Olympic ranking. To do this, they must perform at the K1 Lisbon and at the European championships where… only one of the two will be selected. Suffice to say that these test-matches have the value of a qualifying tournament for the two champions.

If there were few foreign delegations a month ago, they will be around 20 this time. Headlining, the Spanish men's team (without Seck, injured), Italy (without Busa or Semeraro but with the world champion Crescenzo), Kazakhstan (without Assadilov), Brazil’s Douglas Brose, 2-times World champion in -60 kg, who fights in -75 kg for the 1st year of his career. Vinicius Figueira is injured. Not the Swiss Elena Quirici who will indeed be fighting this weekend.