The 2024 EKF Senior Championships continued in Zadar, Croatia, with a thrilling second day of action that showcased fierce competition among Europe’s best karate athletes. The second day saw Croatia’s Ema Sgardelli and a host of up-and-coming karatekas reaching the final. Here’s a breakdown of the results.
Male Team Kata: Spain vs. Turkiye
Spain will face Turkiye in the final of Male Team Kata after two solid performances. Spain defeated Italy with a score of 42.40 to 40.90, while Turkiye outperformed Montenegro 41.90 to 39.00. This final marks a repeat of the last three editions, with Turkiye coming out on top each time.
Female Team Kata: Spain vs. Italy
Spain and Italy will meet in the Female Team kata final. Spain overcame Turkiye with a score of 40.60 to 38.00, while Italy beat France 41.20 to 39.30. This matchup is becoming a regular fixture, with Italy winning the last three times they faced Spain in the finals of the last three continental championships.
Male Kumite -67 kg: Tadissi Meets Dulovic
In the Male Kumite -67 kg category, Yves Martial Tadissi from Hungary and Nenad Dulovic from Montenegro will compete for gold. Tadissi defeated Joaquim Mendes of Portugal 8-4, while Dulovic beat Boran Berak of Croatia 6-3.
Tadissi, a four-time bronze medallist and former World Championships runner-up, reached his first continental final. Dulovic, also a World Championships runner-up, is making his first appearance in a continental final.
Yves Martial Tadissi qualified for his first continental final
Male Kumite -60 kg: Arifi Faces Frontrunner Xenos
The Male Kumite -60 kg final will see Orges Arifi of Albania take on Christos-Stefanos Xenos of Greece. Arifi beat Farid Savadov of Azerbaijan 1-1, while Xenos defeated Anass Abdelmalki of Belgium 9-3.
Arifi, in his first major final, has a bronze from the 2020 Karate 1-Premier League Paris as his best result. Xenos, the current World Champion and number one in the WKF World Ranking, is the defending runner-up in this category and the top favourite to claim the title on Saturday.
Female Kumite -55 kg: Promising Karatekas Bitsch and Pereira in Final
In the Female Kumite -55 kg final, Mia Bitsch of Germany will face Sonia Pereira of Spain. Bitsch beat Tuba Yakan of Turkiye 4-3, while Pereira edged out Maria Stoli of Greece 5-3.
Bitsch, a first-time finalist, has a silver from the 2024 Karate 1-Premier League Paris as his most relevant achievement in senior divisions. Pereira is also a first-time finalist, with a bronze from the 2022 Karate 1-Premier League Rabat as her best result.
Ema Sgardelli of Croatia was one of the stars of the day
Female Kumite -50 kg: Sgardelli Takes Flag of Croatia to Final to Face Mishovska
In the Female Kumite -50 kg, Mihaela Mishovska from North Macedonia and Ema Sgardelli of Croatia will go head-to-head for the title. Mishovska defeated Styliani-Eleni Tzilia of Greece 4-1, while Sgardelli beat Yuliia Palashevska of Ukraine 4-1.
Mishovska is competing in her first final and has never won an international medal. Sgardelli, a two-time U21 continental medallist, reached the final in her first appearance at the EKF Senior Championships. The up-and-coming Croatian karateka is one of the most promising athletes in her division and will try to bring a gold medal to the local fans.
With a thrilling continuation to the tournament after the opening day of the competition, day two continued setting the stage for an exciting championship in Zadar. The day concluded with the elimination rounds of the always thrilling Male and Female Team Kumite categories. The importance of the Team competition in Zadar is even greater as the event is a qualifying tournament for the upcoming World Team Championships in Pamplona, with five spots per category being allocated for Pamplona 2024.
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