Some 800 world-class karatekas from 80 countries gathered in the French capital from January 25 to 27 to compete in the first Premier League of 2019 season and also to vie for a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Iranian team, comprised of 24 athletes, won a total of six medals in the tournament which was held on Paris’ Pierre de Coubertin Sports Hall.
In men’s -60kg category, Majid Hassannia Deilami overpowered Italy’s Angelo Crescenzo (3-1) in the final contest and bagged the sole gold medal of Iran in the event. In route to final, Hassanniai beat Italy’s Matteo Landi (6-1), Sofiane Agoudjil of France (4-1), Kazakhstan’s Darkhan Assadilov (0-0), and Azerbiajna’s Firdovsi Farzaliyev (4-3) before defeating Saudi Arabi's Saud Albasher (3-3) in the semifinal. Kazakhstan’s Darkhan Assadilov and Russia’s Evgeny Plakhutin pocketed bronze medals of this category.
Although secured berth into the final of men’s +84kg category, Iran’s Saleh Abazari couldn’t fight due to injury and the gold went to Georgia’s Gogita Arkania. Tlented Abazari had gained victory over Dnylson Jacquet of France (2-0), Kosovo’s Herolind Nishevci (3-1), the French Mehdi Filali (4-2), and Belarus’ Aliaksei Vodchyts (5-0) in the path to final.
Also in this category, the world and Asian champion Sajjad Ganjzadeh grabbed a bronze medal after defeating Taha Tarek Mahmoud of Egypt (2-1). The other bronze medal of this category went to the Filali. The 2018 Asian Games champion won Raoul Santarelli (2-0), Japan’s Daiki Ando (2-0), and Croatia’s Andjelo Kvesic (2-0) before suffering a 4-2 defeat to Arkania in the semifinal.
In men’s -84kg category, Mahdi Ghararizadeh received silver while the gold went to Belarus’ Anton Isakau. The Iranian promising karatekas had overpowered Ukraine’s Kostiantyn Tsymbal (6-0), Mohamed Ahmed Ramadan (1-0), Panah Abdullayev of Azerbaijan (1-0), and Croatia’s Ivan Kvesic (6-4), before edging past Turkey’s Ugur Aktas (3-2) in the semifinal. Japan’s Rikito Shimada and Ahmed Ramadan grabbed bronze medals of this category.
In women’s team kata, the Iranian team comprised of Najmesadat Ghazizadeh Fard, Elnaz Taghipour, and Shadi Jafarizadeh gained the silver medal. Russia bagged the gold medal while Italy received the bronze.
Ali Asghar Asiabari earned the bronze medal of men’s -75kg category by securing a 3-0 win over Japan’s Yusei Sakiyama. He was defeated in the semifinal contest by Azerbaijan’s Rafael Aghayev (1-2) to lose the chance for a spot in final. Ken Nishimura of Japan won the gold medal of this category.
The next Karate-1 Premier League event will take place at Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from February 15 to 17.
By: Mohammad Ali Haqshenas
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