The fourth day of competition of the 2025 EKF Senior Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, saw new kings and queens of European karate rise to the top. With the individual finals and Para-Karate in the Intellectually Impaired categories delivering thrilling performances, up-and-coming karatekas like Mia Bitsch and Enes Ozdemir made their mark, while seasoned favourites like Mehdi Filali reaffirmed their dominance.
Here’s how the action unfolded across the categories:
Female Kumite +68 Kg: KYRIAKI KYDONAKI Makes History for Greece
Kyriaki Kydonaki of Greece claimed her first continental title after a solid 2-0 win over Dariiа Bulay of Ukraine. In her debut continental final, Kydonaki, who won bronze in 2022, showcased sharp tactics and composure to secure gold.
Male Kumite +84 Kg: MEHDI FILALI Regains European Crown
France’s Mehdi Filali edged Croatia’s Andjelo Kvesic 2-1 in a close match to reclaim his continental title. The current World Champion now holds both global and European crowns, adding this triumph to his 2023 EKF gold, thus confirming his domination of the category in Europe.
Female Kumite -68 Kg: HANNAH RIEDEL’s Dream Debut
Germany’s Hannah Riedel stunned the field by capturing her first continental title in her first EKF appearance. The 20-year-old beat Spain’s Maria Isabel Nieto Mejias 2-1. Riedel, fresh from podium finishes in Larnaca and Cairo this season, confirmed her rapid rise in the European karate scene.
Male Kumite -84 Kg: IVAN KVESIC Clinches Long-Awaited Gold
After years in the elite, Croatia’s Ivan Kvesic finally reached the summit, defeating Ukraine’s Valerii Chobotar 9-1. Kvesic, a previous silver and bronze medallist, dominated the final and claimed his first continental title in style.
Female Kumite -61 Kg: OLEKSANDRA SHOLOHOVA Shines for Ukraine
Another new star emerged as Oleksandra Sholohova secured a 2-0 victory over Latvia’s Beata Girvica. In her first EKF Senior Championships, Sholohova added a continental title to her two Karate 1-Premier League golds.
Male Kumite -75 Kg: ERNEST SHARAFUTDINOV Claims Gold
Competing under the EKF flag, Ernest Sharafutdinov took down Montenegro’s Nemanja Mikulic 4-0. The world bronze medallist delivered a controlled performance to win his first European title in his debut final.
Intellectually Impaired Female K21 R2: OLIVIA KAKOSY Triumphs for Hungary
Hungary’s Olivia Kakosy outscored Spain’s Lucia Sanchez Rosado 40.4 to 38.5 to take home the gold medal in a well-contested final, continuing Hungary’s strong tradition in Para-Karate.
Intellectually Impaired Male K21 R2: CARLOS HUERTAS RUIZ Wins for Spain
Spain celebrated a title as Carlos Huertas Ruiz edged Germany’s Albert Singer 40.2 to 38.7. Ruiz displayed clean technique and confidence throughout the event.
Intellectually Impaired Female K22 R2: DANIELA TOPIC Strikes Gold for Croatia
Croatia’s Daniela Topic earned a 38.8 to 37.6 win over Slovenia’s Diandra Bekcic. Topic’s inspiring performance gave her a well-deserved first-place finish.
Intellectually Impaired Male K22 R2: MATTIA ALLESINA Leads for Italy
Italy’s Mattia Allesina secured a narrow 38.60 to 38.00 victory over Croatia’s Stipe Baric. Allesina’s performance gave Italy another Para-Karate title on the day.
Female Kata: TERRYANA D ONOFRIO Takes Top Spot for Italy
Terryana D Onofrio of Italy earned a 42.1 to 41.6 win against France’s Helvetia Taily. After a silver last year, D Onofrio stepped up to claim her first continental kata title, adding to her World Championships bronze.
Male Kata: ENES OZDEMIR Claims Senior Gold for Türkiye
In his first senior EKF appearance, Türkiye’s Enes Ozdemir outperformed Spain’s Raul Martin Romero 42.9 to 42.3. A three-time U21 champion, Ozdemir confirmed his place among Europe’s elite kata athletes with a tight triumph over also newcomer, Martin Romero.
Female Kumite -55kg: MIA BITSCH Defends Title in Style
Germany’s Mia Bitsch continued her excellent run in the Female Kumite -55 Kg division, claiming her second consecutive European title. The 21-year-old overcame Luxembourg’s Jennifer Warling with a clear 4-1 victory. Bitsch, ranked number three in the world, proved once again why she’s considered one of karate’s top young talents, replicating her success from last year’s championship in Zadar.
Male Kumite -67 Kg: OMER OZER Claims First Gold
In a tense Male Kumite -67 Kg final, Omer Ozer of Turkiye edged past Iurik Ogannisian of the EKF 2-1. It was a breakthrough moment for Ozer, who was competing in his first senior continental final. The 23-year-old added this prestigious title to his collection, which already includes medals from both the Karate 1-Premier League and Karate 1-Series A.
Female Kumite -50 Kg: EMA SGARDELLI Wins Back-to-Back Titles
The Female Kumite -50 Kg category saw a thrilling clash between Ema Sgardelli of Croatia and Erminia Perfetto. Sgardelli held on for a 7-5 win to regain the title. After her silver in the Karate 1-Premier League Cairo and the title in Zadar last year, Sgardelli continues her rapid rise as one of Europe’s brightest prospects.
Male Kumite -60 Kg: AKHMED AKHMEDOV Shines in Debut Final
Competing in his first senior final, Akhmed Akhmedov of the EKF defeated Orges Arifi of Albania 2-1 to take the Male Kumite -60 Kg title. Previously, Akhmedov’s best results were two bronze medals at Karate 1-Series A events.
As the 2025 EKF Senior Championships move into the final team events tomorrow, these individual champions will be remembered as the standout performers of a memorable fourth day in Yerevan.
The event is available live on the WKF YouTube channel and on a number of TV networks around the world.
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