The Karate World Cup in Pamplona, Spain was a success. It was the first time that Spain was the organizer of the honorable event and the audience was treated to fantastic performances.
The President of the Spanish Karate Federation, Antonio Moreno called the tournament “a historic moment for karate in Spain.”
“This is the first time that the World Team Championships will be held, and I would like to thank WKF President Antonio Espinós for trusting us to bring this event to Pamplona. Good luck to our teams, these medals are up for grabs and now the time of truth has come. Now it is time to fight for glory and the medals,” said Moreno.
Damian Quintero, former World champions in Male Team Kata and María Torres defending titleholder in Female Team Kumite was excited about competing at home.
“We are very happy to fight here in front of our family and friends. We are very motivated to compete here, and we have made a very good group, both in male and female teams. Now we just need to enjoy the moment and give our best,” said current World Championships runner-up in Female Kumite and defending World champion in Female Team Kumite Maria Torres.
The president of the World Karate Federation Antonio Espinós also talked about how important the event was
“The Navarra Arena is an outstanding venue, like very few in the world, not only for the excellent conditions for the organisation of big events but also for intangible values as those demonstrated by the people working here. This event is a landmark moment for the WKF. The traditional format of our World Championships, established since our first event in 1970 had come to an end due to the tremendous evolution of our sport and our organisation. To continue enhancing this development, we decided to alter this format and now we come to this Karate World Cup. The main difference is that now, because of the qualification process and the particularities of the event, the best of the best are here. I am sure that this event will contribute to the continuation of the tremendous growth of our sport, and I am proud and thrilled to be here ready to experience this very anticipated event,” Antonio Espinós.
Male Team Kata: Japan continues to dominate
Japan continued to dominate in Male Team Kata and won their 14th world title. They defeated Turkey in the final with 46.70 to 45.30. It was their fifth consecutive world championship in male kata. In the bronze medal match, Spain thrilled the home fans by winning the medal. They defeated Italy with 45.20 to 42.70.
Female Team Kumite: Japan is back on top
Japan beat the United States 2-0 in the Female Team Kumite final. It was their first title since 2006. The home nation Spain defeated Italy in the bronze medal match with 2-0. The home support helped them to reach another medal after winning gold last year in Budapest.
Female Team Kata: Japan is still going strong
Japan is still dominant in Female Team Kata. They won their 15th world title and this was their fifth consecutive. In the final they defeated Portugal with 46.60 to 43.20. Spain won another bronze medal by defeating Italy with 43.40 to 41.90. It was their second bronze medal in a row as they also took third place last year in Budapest.
Male Team Kumite: Egypt won their first gold
Egypt won their first-ever world title in Male Team Kumite. They defeated Iran with 3-0 in the final. Before this gold medal they were already African champions and silver medalists from Budapest. Japan won another bronze after a 3-1 win over Italy. With that win they reached podium finish in all four categories.
The 2024 Karate World Cup set the tone for the future of karate. The performances was amazing and the competitive format was innovative. The Navarra Arena of Pamplona was perfect for karate competitions. Hangzhou in China will host the next Karate World Cup in 2026.
Source World Karate Federation
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Also read about World Karate Championship in Venice
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