The fourth day of the 2026 European Karate Federation Senior Championships in Frankfurt delivered decisive action and emotional moments as Europe’s best karate met for glory in a memorable event. The competition crowned the new kings and queens of European karate in the individual kumite divisions and also celebrated the first Para Karate champions of the event.
Italy’s star Clio Ferracuti claims first continental title
Clio Ferracuti of Italy captured the gold medal in Female Kumite +68 Kg after defeating Clemence Pea of France 10-2 in one of the most dominant finals of the day. Ferracuti controlled the bout from the opening exchange and showcased her scoring ability throughout the match. The Italian athlete secured her first European title after previously winning bronze at the 2023 edition.
World champion Matteo Avanzini adds European crown
Matteo Avanzini of Italy won the Male Kumite +84 Kg title with a 4-1 victory over Ugur Aktas of Turkiye. The reigning world champion added the continental crown to his achievements after taking bronze last year. With the victory, Avanzini completed back-to-back world and European titles, a major milestone of his career.
Croatia’s Sadea Becirovic triumphs in first final
Sadea Becirovic of Croatia became European champion in Female Kumite -68 Kg after beating Thalya Sombe of France 4-1. Competing in her first continental final, Becirovic delivered a composed performance to secure the biggest title of her career. Before this event, her best international results were two silver medals at Karate One Series A tournaments.
Eduard Gasparian Wins dramatic final
Eduard Gasparian of EKF-1 claimed the Male Kumite -84 Kg title after a dramatic 6-6 victory by senshuu, or first unopposed point, over Konstantinos Mastrogiannis of Greece. The EKF-1 athlete reached his first continental final in Frankfurt after previously winning three gold medals at Karate One Series A events.
Dream debut for Altana Basangova
Altana Basangova of EKF-1 secured the Female Kumite -61 Kg gold medal after defeating Mia Greta Zorko of Croatia 6-4. Basangova achieved the remarkable feat of winning the European title in her first-ever international appearance, one of the standout stories of the championships.
Omer Faruk Yurur of Turkiye dominates final
Omer Faruk Yurur of Turkiye captured the Male Kumite -75 Kg crown with a commanding 6-0 victory over Kilian Cizo of France. Yurur entered the tournament as a first-time finalist and produced one of the strongest performances of the day. His previous best results included four silver medals in Karate One Premier League competitions.
German crowd celebrates home victory in Intellectually Impaired K21
Mike Richter of Germany won the Para Karate Intellectually Impaired K21 Male title after edging Carlos Huertas Ruiz of Spain by the narrowest of margins, 38.3 to 38.2. Backed by the home crowd in Frankfurt, Richter delivered a strong performance to secure gold in a thrilling final.
Federica Yakymashko Claims Major upset in K21 Female
Federica Yakymashko of Italy earned the Para Karate Intellectually Impaired K21 Female title after defeating favourite Olivia Kakosy of Hungary 37.9 to 37.0. Yakymashko produced a confident display to upset one of the leading contenders in the category.
Italy takes another Para Karate gold through Mattia Allesina
Mattia Allesina of Italy claimed the Para Karate Intellectually Impaired K22 Male title after overcoming fellow Italian Patrick Buwalda in the final. The victory added another gold medal to Italy’s successful day in Frankfurt.
Croatia’s Daniela Topic finishes on top in K22 Female
Daniela Topic of Croatia secured the Para Karate Intellectually Impaired K22 Female title with a 38.4 to 36.8 victory over Lucia Vlkova of Slovakia. Topic controlled the final and closed the day with another important gold medal for Croatia.
Terryana D’Onofrio Defeats Paola Garcia Lozano to Retain Female Kata Crown
Italy’s Terryana D’Onofrio successfully defended her continental crown after defeating Spain’s Paola Garcia Lozano by 4-3 in a close Female Kata final. D’Onofrio claimed her second consecutive European title after also winning gold last year in Armenia. The Italian star once again showed precision and composure to remain the top athlete in the category.
Enes Ozdemir Claims Second Straight Male Kata Title Against Alessio Ghinami
Türkiye’s Enes Ozdemir captured the Male Kata title after overcoming Italy’s Alessio Ghinami in the final. Ozdemir secured his second straight European crown following his triumph last year, confirming his dominance in the division and continuing his impressive run at the continental level.
Madina Sadigova Wins Female Kumite -55kg Gold Over Zumra Rezzan Im
Azerbaijan’s Madina Sadigova earned the Female Kumite -55kg gold medal with a 9-6 victory over Türkiye’s Zumra Rezzan Im. Sadigova won her first European title four years after taking bronze at the 2022 continental championships. The Azerbaijani athlete produced an attacking performance in one of the highest-scoring finals of the day.
Luca Maresca Secures Male Kumite -67kg Title Against Younesse Salmi
Italy’s Luca Maresca claimed the Male Kumite -67kg title after beating France’s Younesse Salmi 6-4 in the final. Competing in his first European final, Maresca delivered a hard-fought performance. Before this victory, his best achievements included one gold medal and six silver medals in Karate One Premier League events.
Ema Sgardelli Extends Dominance with Victory Over Teodora Tsaneva
Croatia’s Ema Sgardelli continued her dominance in the Female Kumite -50kg division after defeating Bulgaria’s Teodora Tsaneva 5-1. The defending champion secured her third consecutive European title in Frankfurt, extending an impressive era at the top of the category with another confident performance.
Christos-Stefanos Xenos Reclaims Male Kumite -60kg Crown Against Aleksandar Vuckovic
Greece’s Christos-Stefanos Xenos won the Male Kumite -60kg crown after a commanding 7-0 victory over Serbia’s Aleksandar Vuckovic. Xenos recovered the European title he previously won in 2024 and celebrated his second continental crown with one of the most dominant finals of the day.
The event concludes on Sunday with the final day of action from Frankfurt. The competition on Sunday will be available LIVE on the WKF YouTube channel