4th World University Karate Championship
Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro - July 8th to 11th, 2004
Four Championships, Four Successes
With first-class infrastructures, the city of Belgrade can now vie with the largest European metropolises for organizing international events.
Mr Vojislav Kostunica, President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia & Mr Ralethe Malumbethe, EC member of FISU during the opening ceremony.
Karate in Belgrade
Karate has been part of the FISU programme since 1998 when France gave us the first edition of the World University Karate Championships in Lille. Based on very solid organization, France hosted 238 karatekas from 31 countries! The French association was proud to have encouraged FISU to include karate in the programme, even more so when 36 countries sent 237athletes to the 2000 edition in Kyoto, Japan! For the third championship games in Puebla, Mexico, 221 contestants came from 33 countries! A magnificent success for the number of participants in just three championships, and in terms of their skill too, since some of the sport's best practitioners competed at the university championships. It is true that, like judo, karate is a “late maturity” sport in which university students excel. Students actually represent 80 % of all karatekas. The Belgrade 2004 meet promised to be suspenseful, as Serbia-Montenegro is one of the best in the field.
Opening Ceremony
There are two different types of events: kumite and kata. Kumite is an actual combat. The kata is done individually or in a group to simulate a combat with no opponent, in order to reach the best possible technical quality in the gestures and series. Continual repetition of kata is a prerequisite for real mastery of the martial art. As spectacular as the combat itself, kata is truly the essence of karate. Generally speaking, karatekas stress the spirit of their sport, that they compare more readily to fencing than to boxing. After all, in karate, contestants try to score points, not to knock out their opponent.
Femage team kumite : Podium
For the fourth time in a row participation was very strong with 34 countries presenting 187 men and 102 women. The organizers started out on the right foot, and then just had to ensure that the events ran smoothly. And this is something Serbia-Montenegro does very well. For several years, it has volunteered to organize a Universiade (it will stage the 2009 Summer Games) and it made a point of honour of hosting the student athletes under the best possible conditions. Now that the town has top-quality infrastructures, it can vie with the large European cities in organizing international events. The "Tashmaidan" sports complex was chosen for the karate tournament. This is one of the largest sports centres in the country, including a stadium, an Olympic pool and a skating rink, as well as a huge multipurpose gym, the "Pioneer Hall", where the competition took place.
The Local Team Plays Best at Home
The first days were spent in team competition. From the very start, the Serbia-Montenegro team was outstanding. It won a step on the podium in every class. In the very spectacular women's kata, it took gold in front of Macedonia, the Czech Republic and Italy. For the women's kumite, it came in second behind Spain. France and Russia tied for third. In the men's Kata, it took the bronze medal along with Italy. Japan was first ahead of Iran. Finally, for the men's Kumite, it ranked third with Slovakia behind Japan (gold) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (silver).
Men's Kumite
Results were very close in the individual man's events. The Russians performed beautifully, taking two gold and one silver medal thanks to Yuri Kalashnikov in < 60 kg, Vladimir Khripunov in < 70 kg and Soslan Guriev in open. The French, Slovakians and Turks also achieved handsome results.
Women's Kumite
In the women's Kumite events, the audience only had eyes for Katarina Strika from Serbia-Montenegro who came home with a beautiful gold medal in the < 60 kg category against Italian Selene Gugliemi. Italy took the open category thanks to Selene Guglielmi. Finally, congratulations to the winners Celik Gulderen (TUR) in < 53 kg and Gloria Casanova (ESP) in > 60 kg.
Men's and Women's Kata
The kata is really in a category of its own, in a spectacular show without an opponent. For the men, Venezuelan Antonio Diaz won the event. Turk Mucip Uludag came in second and Japanese Kazutaka Yamamoto tied with Thai for the bronze. For the ladies, Japanese Miyuki Osawa took a gold medal ahead of Venezuelan Angelika Manza. Marina Kis (SCG) and Petra Nova (CZE) finished third. We meet again in 2006 in the United States for the 5th World University Karate Championships.
Organizing Committee
KSSCG Dusica Kovacevic Terazije 35/2 11000 Beograd - Serbia & Montenegro phone: (381.11)3242323 fax: (381.11)3242323
Results
Male kata team 1. Japan 2. Islamic Republic of Iran 3. Serbia and Montenegro and Italy Female kata team 1. Serbia and Montenegro 2. FYRO Macedonia 3. Czech Republic and Italy Female team kumite 1. Spain 2. Serbia and Montenegro 3. France and Russian Federation Female individual kumite – 60 kg 1. Katarina Strika (SCG) 2. Selene Gugliemi (ITA) 3. Petra Pecekova (CZE) 3. Maria Sobol (RUS) Male team kumite 1. Japan 2. Bosnia and Herzegovina 3. Serbia and Montenegro 3. Slovakia Female kumite +60 kg 1. Gloria Casanova (ESP) 2. Branka Kavurin (SCG) 3. Ayaka Arai (JPN) 3. Tessy Scholtes (LUX) Female individual kata 1. Miyuki Osawa (JPN) 2. Angelalicia Manzo (VEN) 3. Marina Kis (SCG) 3. Petra Nova (CZE) Male individual kata 1. Antonio Diaz (VEN) 2. Uludag Mucip (TUR) 3. Kazutaka Yamamoto (JPN) 3. Sheng Chia Hao (TPE) Male individual – 65kg 1. Christian Gruener (GER) 2. Yazid Achour (FRA) 3. Drasko Stojanovic (SCG) 3. Sevket Bastruk (TUR) Male individual kumite –70 kg 1. Vladimir Khripunov (RUS) 2. Jeremy Aubery (FRA) 3. Nadel Joudataghdam (IRI) 3. Cain Canning (GBR) Male individual kumite –75 kg 1. Guillaume Cossou (FRA) 2. Alton Brown (GBR) 3. Deniys Krylovskyy (UKR) 3. Claudio Farmadin (SVK) Male individual kumite –80 kg 1. Milos Zivkovic (SCG) 2. Tolga Metin (TUR) 3. Arsen Magomedov (RUS) 3. Zarko Arsovski (MKD) Male individual +80 kg 1. Reza Azizi (IRI) 2. Arnel Kalusic (BIH) 3. Peter Valentin (SVK) 3. Iad Nasr (VEN)
Complete Results to Download
