The 2025 EKF Senior Championships officially opened in Yerevan, Armenia, with a thrilling first day of competition. The event, which gathers the best karate athletes from across Europe, delivered high-level action as the finalists in eight categories were decided.
Here’s a breakdown of the day’s results:
Female Kata: Taily and D’Onofrio to Fight for Gold
France’s Helvetia Taily secured her place in the final after a solid 40.20 to 38.70 victory over Sweden’s Mia Karlsson. The 2023 silver medallist showed her experience in a clean performance. Italy’s Terryana D’Onofrio produced the upset of the day by defeating defending champion Paola Garcia Lozano of Spain, 41.20 to 40.50. It’s Taily’s second continental final, while D’Onofrio, already a three-time continental medallist, will aim for her first title.
Male Kata: Newcomers Ozdemir and Martin Romero Reach First Final
Türkiye’s Enes Ozdemir edged out Yuki Ujihara of Switzerland 41.80 to 40.30 to claim his first-ever spot in a senior final. Spain’s Raul Martin Romero followed with an impressive 42.10 to 40.20 win against Alessio Ghinami of Italy. Both athletes are making their debut at the senior continental championships. Ozdemir, a three-time U21 champion, and Martin Romero, a two-time U21 bronze medallist, now have a chance to lift their first senior gold.
Female Kumite +68kg: Kydonaki and Bulay in First Final Appearances
Kyriaki Kydonaki of Greece edged out Türkiye’s Zeyna Gaballa 1-0 to advance to her first continental final after previously earning bronze in 2022. Ukraine’s Dariia Bulay, a junior bronze medallist earlier this year, impressed with a strong 7-2 win over Spain’s top favourite Maria Torres Garcia. This will be Bulay’s first senior final in her debut appearance.
Male Kumite +84kg: Kvesic and Filali Set for Heavyweight Showdown
Defending champion Andjelo Kvesic of Croatia secured his final spot with a tight 1-0 win over Ukraine’s Ryzvan Talibov. He’s aiming for his third continental title. France’s Mehdi Filali, current World Champion and last year’s bronze medallist, moved past Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Anes Bostandzic 1-0 to set up a high-stakes final. Filali seeks to reclaim the European crown he last held in 2023.
Female Kumite -68kg: Nieto Mejias and Riedel Surprise the Field
Spain’s Maria Isabel Nieto Mejias defeated Italy’s Silvia Semeraro 4-1 to reach her first senior final after claiming two previous bronzes. Germany’s Hannah Riedel made a statement in her debut senior championship, stunning top favourite Elena Quirici of Switzerland. The match ended 1-1, with Riedel advancing on criteria in one of the day’s biggest surprises.
Male Kumite -84kg: Chobotar and Kvesic Dominate
Ukraine’s Valerii Chobotar beat EKF’s Eduard Gasparian 5-3 to secure his first final spot at this level. A bronze medallist at both the European and World Championships, Chobotar looks set for a breakthrough. Croatia’s Ivan Kvesic joined his brother Andjelo in the finals after a commanding 7-1 win over local hopeful Gor Nersisyan of Armenia. The younger of the Kvesic brothers, the 2018 silver medallist and last year’s bronze winner, is looking to finally claim the top step of the podium.
Female Kumite -61kg: Girvica and Sholohova to Clash
Beata Girvica of Latvia reached her first senior final after defeating Miruna Malauta of Romania 2-0. Her best result before this was a bronze at the Karate 1-Premier League. In the other semifinal, Ukraine’s Oleksandra Sholohova edged out Anastasiia Semenenko of Germany 3-2. Sholohova, fresh from a Karate 1- Premier League win in Cairo, qualifies for her first continental final in her senior debut.
Male Kumite -75kg: Mikulic and Sharafutdinov Shine
Nemanja Mikulic of Montenegro secured his first-ever continental final with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Betim Maliqi of Kosovo. The 2025 Karate 1-Premier League Paris silver medallist adds one more accolade to his impressive season.
Meanwhile, Ernest Sharafutdinov, competing under EKF, reached his first European final by defeating Enzo Berthon of France. The current World Championships bronze medallist finally breaks through at senior continental level.
A Day of Top-Level Karate
The opening day in Yerevan offered intense matches, upsets, and strong performances from Europe’s best karate athletes. With the finalists now decided in seven categories, the stage is set for a week of thrilling competition ahead.
Fans can continue to follow all matches live on the WKF YouTube channel and stay updated with real-time results on the new WKF website.