Almost 700 martial arts specialists showed their skills during the 36th European Karate Championships in Sofia last weekend.
The first day of the event, held at the Palace of Sports, was devoted to team matches. Spain reigned supreme both among the men and women in the kata-team event, in which there were no Bulgarian representatives.
Kata consists of choreographed performances of karate style, without confronting an opponent. The Spanish athletes elegant traditional style captivated the audience and enabled them to capture first place in this event. The silver went to Italy in the mens and womens finals.
In the individual kata competition, Italys Livio Valdesi displayed impressive style among the men, successfully defending his championship title from Istanbul 2000.
The other karate style used in competitions is kumite, also called sparring, which is the real fighting between two contestants. In the kumite competition France defended its 2000 mens title by beating Spain in the finals with three wins, one loss and one draw. Italy and England tied for third, beating Estonia and the Netherlands, respectively. The Bulgarian competitors were knocked out in the first round.
In the womens kumite, the Turkish team triumphed, defeating England in the final with draws but more points scored. France and Spain finished in a tie for the bronze. Here too, Bulgarias representatives dropped out of contention in the first round.
Frances Alexander Biamonti, who captured an unprecedented seventh European title in the 65kg class, was the best male in individual kumite. Englands Michael Hodge started off convincingly in the lighter categories (up to 60kg), but succumbed to two-time world champion Ortes Camacho from Spain in the final.
In the individual kumite among the women, Frances Natalie Leroi (60kg) put in an excellent performance, adding the European title from Sofia to her two world titles from Rio de Janeiro and Munich.
Regrettably, throughout the three-day tournament, the Bulgarian hosts did not win a single medal. The best of them, Spas Georgiev (over 80kg) made it to the quarterfinals after defeating Polands Zbigniew Golishewski 8-0 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, however, the Bulgarian yielded to world vice-champion Cedina Balde (France).
The other Bulgarian competitors, Vyara Petrova (over 60kg), Vassil Vassev (70kg), Dimiter Todoranov (75kg) and Vesselin Shumnatov (80kg) dropped out of contention at earlier stages.
Among the women, Gergana Todorova came closest to the countrys first medal in a European karate championship by contending in a match for third place in the 53kg class she was defeated by Romanias Sabrina Sandu, ending up fifth.
The event was one of the first big competitions staged according to the new rules of the International Karate Federation. They were adopted in order to reduce injuries and make the sport more spectacular ahead of its inclusion in the programme of the Olympic Games.
Changes made to the scoring procedure stipulate three points as the highest score, awarded for leg techniques aimed at the head of an opponent. New penalties have also been introduced for violations in the control of blows and for the use of prohibited techniques.
According to specialists, the championships provided no unexpected surprises. The French again proved their superiority in European karate by winning seven of the total 17 titles. Spain and Italy put in traditionally strong performances, while Turkey and Germany showed progress.
Thanks to the new rules the matches were more attractive and less traumatic, but, consequently, some saw the refereeing as less objective.
The first day of the event, held at the Palace of Sports, was devoted to team matches. Spain reigned supreme both among the men and women in the kata-team event, in which there were no Bulgarian representatives.
Kata consists of choreographed performances of karate style, without confronting an opponent. The Spanish athletes elegant traditional style captivated the audience and enabled them to capture first place in this event. The silver went to Italy in the mens and womens finals.
In the individual kata competition, Italys Livio Valdesi displayed impressive style among the men, successfully defending his championship title from Istanbul 2000.
The other karate style used in competitions is kumite, also called sparring, which is the real fighting between two contestants. In the kumite competition France defended its 2000 mens title by beating Spain in the finals with three wins, one loss and one draw. Italy and England tied for third, beating Estonia and the Netherlands, respectively. The Bulgarian competitors were knocked out in the first round.
In the womens kumite, the Turkish team triumphed, defeating England in the final with draws but more points scored. France and Spain finished in a tie for the bronze. Here too, Bulgarias representatives dropped out of contention in the first round.
Frances Alexander Biamonti, who captured an unprecedented seventh European title in the 65kg class, was the best male in individual kumite. Englands Michael Hodge started off convincingly in the lighter categories (up to 60kg), but succumbed to two-time world champion Ortes Camacho from Spain in the final.
In the individual kumite among the women, Frances Natalie Leroi (60kg) put in an excellent performance, adding the European title from Sofia to her two world titles from Rio de Janeiro and Munich.
Regrettably, throughout the three-day tournament, the Bulgarian hosts did not win a single medal. The best of them, Spas Georgiev (over 80kg) made it to the quarterfinals after defeating Polands Zbigniew Golishewski 8-0 in the second round. In the quarterfinals, however, the Bulgarian yielded to world vice-champion Cedina Balde (France).
The other Bulgarian competitors, Vyara Petrova (over 60kg), Vassil Vassev (70kg), Dimiter Todoranov (75kg) and Vesselin Shumnatov (80kg) dropped out of contention at earlier stages.
Among the women, Gergana Todorova came closest to the countrys first medal in a European karate championship by contending in a match for third place in the 53kg class she was defeated by Romanias Sabrina Sandu, ending up fifth.
The event was one of the first big competitions staged according to the new rules of the International Karate Federation. They were adopted in order to reduce injuries and make the sport more spectacular ahead of its inclusion in the programme of the Olympic Games.
Changes made to the scoring procedure stipulate three points as the highest score, awarded for leg techniques aimed at the head of an opponent. New penalties have also been introduced for violations in the control of blows and for the use of prohibited techniques.
According to specialists, the championships provided no unexpected surprises. The French again proved their superiority in European karate by winning seven of the total 17 titles. Spain and Italy put in traditionally strong performances, while Turkey and Germany showed progress.
Thanks to the new rules the matches were more attractive and less traumatic, but, consequently, some saw the refereeing as less objective.
