The best karatekas in the world will gather in Paris (France) from January 26 to 28 for a memorable Karate 1-Premier League tournament. The first event of the year will feature some of the top Karate athletes of the globe, ready to thrill fans in three exciting days of competition. 

The best karatekas in the world will gather in Paris (France) from January 26 to 28 for a memorable Karate 1-Premier League tournament. The first event of the year will feature some of the top Karate athletes of the globe, ready to thrill fans in three exciting days of competition. 

As the registration process for the inaugural event of the season was completed, the final list of competitors in the Karate 1-Premier League in Paris was confirmed. Nearly 800 karatekas from 81 countries are set to clash for glory in less than two weeks at Pierre de Coubertin sports hall. 

The defending Grand Winners are leading a wealth of stars participating in Paris. Among the owners of the award that recognises the best of the best of the last edition of Karate 1-Premier League, Damian Quintero and Sandra Sanchez of Spain aim at continuing their excellence in kata, while Japan’s Ayumi Uekusa and Ryutaro Araga hope to extend the domination of the birth-nation of the sport in the first-class series of Karate competitions. Athletes who presented an outstanding level last year such as Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine, China’s Xiaoyan Yin and Uzbekistan’s Sadriddin Saymatov are among the karatekas who will debut the special and innovative Grand Winner karate-gi in Paris. 

ELEVEN WORLD CHAMPIONS COMPETING IN PARIS

The event is expected to delight fans of the sport around the world since in addition to the eleven Grand Winners, the tournament in Paris will also have the participation of all but one of the current World champions. Superstar Rafael Aghayev returns to the international scene after four months of absence while Kiyou Shimizu and Ryo Kiyuna will have the responsibility of keeping the predominance of Japan in Kata categories. 

Karate enthusiasts coming from all over France will have plenty of heroes to look up to as well. The host country presents the second largest delegation with 48 competitors, only exceeded by Italy with 55 athletes. Local spectators will set their eyes on fan favourites such as World champions Alexandra Recchia and Emilie Thouy, world medallists Lucie Ignace, Sofiane Agoudjil, Kenji Grillon and up-coming star Steven Dacosta.  

The three days of action begin on January 26 and continue through until January 28 when the winners of the first major event of the year will be crowned.

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