The surprising 2017 Karate 1-Premier League in Paris brought shocking results, stunning defeats of favourites and the crowning of upcoming karatekas. The first big event of the season has convulsed international Karate, and it has produced notable changes in the quest to dominate the World Ranking. 

The surprising 2017 Karate 1-Premier League in Paris brought shocking results, stunning defeats and the crowning of upcoming karatekas. The first big event of the season has convulsed international Karate, as it produced notable changes in the quest to dominate the World Ranking. 

These are the top Karatekas in each one of the main categories of international Karate: 

Female Kata: 

After earning bronze in Karate 1-Premier League in Paris, Sandra Sanchez of Spain continues leading the World Ranking in the Female Kata category. The defending European champion holds a significant difference of 2600 points over second qualified and World Champion Kiyou Shimizu of Japan, who did not participate in the inaugural event of the season.

Japan’s Hikaru Ono reaches the position 15 of the World Ranking after her victory in Paris while silver medallist in Paris Sandy Scordo of France gets to the seventh position. 

Top three:
1.    Sandra Sanchez (Spain) – 6478 points
2.    Kiyou Shimizu (Japan) – 3819 points
3.    Viviana Bottaro (Italy) – 2881 points

Female Kumite -50kg 

Despite her early elimination at home ground in the event held in Paris, Alexandra Recchia of France remains as the top contender in the World Ranking of Female Kumite -50kg category. The second qualified Bettina Plank also failed to make it to the final rounds in Paris, a situation which was exploited by Serap Ozcelik of Turkey who won bronze at Pierre de Coubertin sports hall thus reaching the third position of the standings. The winner of Karate 1-Premier League in Paris Miho Miyahara of Japan occupies the sixth position. 

Top Three
1.    Alexandra Recchia (France) – 4505 points
2.    Bettina Plank (Austri) – 4079 points
3.    Serap Ozcelik (Turkey) – 3053 points

Female Kumite -55kg 

In the disputed quest to dominate the ranking of Female Kumite -55kg, Valeria Kumizaki of Brazil holds the first position with 1000 points of difference over the second qualified and 2016 Grand Winner Syakilla Salni Jefry Krishnan of Malaysia. The two competitors did not win medals at Karate 1-Premier League in Paris, just as did the third qualified and World Champion Emily Thouy of France. Gold medallist in Paris Taravat Khaksar of Iran makes it to the 15th position. 

Top three
1.    Valeria Kumizaki (Brazil) – 4695 points
2.    Syakilla Salni Jefry Krishnan (Malaysia) – 3578 points
3.    Emilie Thouy (France) – 3561 points

Female Kumite -61kg 

Lucie Ignace finished in fifth position in the Karate 1-Premier League in Paris and maintains her leadership of the ranking in Female Kumite -61kg. The second position is for Ingrida Suchankova of Slovakia, who could not reach the finals of the event in Paris. The victory in the first tournament of the season was for Jovana Prekovic of Serbia who climbs to the ninth position of the World Ranking. 

Top three
1.    Lucie Ignace (France) – 4647 points
2.    Ingrida Suchankova (Slovakia) – 4596 points
3.    Giana Lotfy (Egypt) – 4012 points

Female Kumite -68kg

Despite being absent in Karate 1-Premier League in Paris, World Champion Alisa Buchinger of Austria is still heading the ranking of the Female Kumite -68kg category. Silver medallist in Paris Iryna Zaretska of Azerbaijan gets the third position while Elena Quirici of Switzerland owns the second place of the World Ranking after her fifth position in Paris. Alizee Agier of France finished on top of the podium in Paris and holds the ninth place of the ranking.

Top three
1.    Alisa Buchinger (Austria) – 5384 points
2.    Elena Quirici (Switzerland) – 3410 points
3.    Iryna Zaretska (Azerbaijan) – 2875 points

Female Kumite +68kg

The standings of Female Kumite +68kg are headed by Ayumi Uekusa of Japan. The Japanese karateka achieved a remarkable third position in Paris, which helped Uekusa to take a 1000 lead over Masa Vidic of Croatia, who did not participate in the event held in Pierre de Coubertin Sports hall. The eighth qualified in the ranking Natsumi Kawamura of Japan won gold in Paris. 

Top three:
1.    Ayumi Uekusa (Japan) – 3950 points
2.    Masa Vidic (Croatia) – 2939 points
3.    Dominika Tatarova (Slovakia) – 2764 points

Male Kata

Ryo Kiyuna of Japan demonstrated his potential in Male Kata category in Paris and won a gold medal that helps the defending World champion to establish his second spot in the World ranking. The leader of the standings still is European champion and 2016 Grand Winner Damian Quintero of Spain. 

Top three:
1.    Damian Quintero (Spain) – 7054 points
2.    Ryo Kiyuna (Japan) – 5196 points
3.    Antonio Diaz (Venezuela) – 3856 points

Male Kumite -60kg

The World Ranking in the Male Kumite -60kg is so disputed that less than 200 points separate the first three names in the list. Geoffrey Berens of The Netherlands took advantage of this situation to win 100 points for his participation in Paris thus to earn the top stop with just six points of difference with Douglas Brose of Brazil. The outstanding level of competitors in international Karate was proven in this category, as the winner in Paris, Sadriddin Saymatov of Uzbekistan is in the 27th in the World Ranking. 

Top three:
1.    Geoffrey Berens (Netherlands) – 3156 points
2.    Douglas Brose (Brazil) – 3150 points
3.    Amir Mehdizadeh (Iran) – 2980 points

Male Kumite -67kg

None of the top three competitors in the Male Kumite -67kg category reached the finals of Karate 1-Premier League in Paris, in a category which is still dominated by Hungary’s Yves Martial Tadissi. The winner and big name of the event in Paris Andres Madera of Venezuela makes it to the fourth place following his impressive demonstration on the tatami of Pierre de Coubertin sports hall. 

Top three
1.    Yves Martial Tadissi (Hungary) – 4159 points
2.    Vinicius Figueira (Brazil) – 3938 points
3.    Steven Dacosta (France) – 3555

Male Kumite -75kg

Thomas Scott of the USA was not able to repeat the success of last year in Paris when the Karate Star earned gold in the French city. However, the Texas native still leads the World Ranking of Male Kumite -75kg, only 640 points over World Champion Rafael Aghayev of Azerbaijan. Gold medallist in Paris Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine reaches the position 16th of the ranking. 

Top Three:
1.    Thomas Scott (USA) – 3440 points
2.    Rafael Aghayev (AZE) – 2800 points
3.    Erman Eltemur (Turkey) – 2630 points

Male Kumite -84kg

Fresh off his outstanding performance in Paris, Ryutaro Araga of Japan extends his impressive domination in Male Kumite -84kg. No less than 2100 points separate the World Ranking leader and World Champion Araga with the second qualified Ugus Aktas of Turkey who failed to reach the finals in Paris. 

Top three
1.    Ryutaro Araga (Japan) – 5702 points
2.    Ugur Aktas (Turkey)  - 3510 points
3.    Poorshab Zabihollah (Iran) – 3002 points

Male Kumite +84kg

One big hero of today’s Karate, Sajad Ganjzadeh of Iran presented a sensational level in Paris so to earn gold in the opening event of the season thus continuing his command of the category. The defending World Champion used his victory in Paris to pass the ninth qualified in Paris Enes Erkan of Turkey as the leader of the World ranking. 

Top three:
1.    Sajad Ganjzadeh (Iran) – 3732 points
2.    Enes Erkan (Turkey) – 3367 points
3.    Jonathan Horne (Germany) – 2908 points

Watch the highlights of the Karate 1-Premier League in Paris on WKF YouTube Channel HERE.