The 2019 European Universities Combat Championships finished in Zagreb (Croatia) with young karatekas from all over Europe demonstrating their outstanding abilities. Representatives of the host country dominated the competition after claiming four gold medals. 

The 2019 European Universities Combat Championships finished in Zagreb (Croatia) with young karatekas from all over Europe demonstrating their outstanding abilities. Representatives of the host country dominated the competition after claiming four gold medals. 

Over 1300 participants from 35 European countries gathered this past weekend in Zagreb for the first edition of the European Universities Combat Championships. Croatia topped the medal table of the Karate competition after winning five medals including four golds. Italy with eight medals and two golds and Bosnia and Herzegovina with five medals and two golds also registered successful performances. 

The representatives of the organising country succeeded in Kumite categories. Karlo Raguz opened the gold medal count for hosts after defeating Turkey’s Mehmet Usda 3-0 in the final of Male Kumite +84kg. Lucija Lesjak continued the domination of hosts and reached the top of the podium in Female Kumite +68kg following a convincing 5-0 victory over Germany’s Meryem Yildirim. Meanwhile, in Female Kumite -50kg, Jelena Pehar used her front-runner status to take the third gold for Croatia. The winner of the 2018 Karate 1-Series A Salzburg beat North Macedonia’s Sara Radichevska in the final (2-0). The last gold for hosts was taken by Anita Tadic in Female Kumite -68kg. The young local karateka defeated Emina Brkic of Bosnia and Herzegovina by 5-1 in the final. 

The two gold medals for the Italian delegation had the same surname as both Francesco Donofrio and Terryana Donofrio took the flag of the powerhouse nation of the sport to the top of the podium. Former Grand Winner Terryana Donofrio dominated the Female Kata competition and defeated team-mate Noemi Nicosanti in the final. Donofrio took a score of 25.56 with her Chatanyara Kushanku kata while Nicosanti received a score of 24.34. Meanwhile, Francesco Donofrio, who is Terryana’s brother, won gold in Male Kumite +67kg. The Italian karateka edged Croatia’s Stjepan Stimac in the final 4-3. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina surprised with a convincing performance in Zagreb and finished on the third place of the medal table. Dozic Mensur claimed gold in Male Kumite -75kg after beating Petar Zaborski of North Macedonia 5-2 while Zenira Bektas dominated Female Kumite -61kg following a slim 1-0 victory over Monika Pendaroska of North Macedonia. 

Botond Nagy of Hungary in Male Kata, Stefanos Xenos of Greece in Male Kumite -60kg, Robin Rettenbacher of Austria in Male Kumite -84kg, Monika Burgerova of Czech Republic in Female Kumite -55kg, and the teams of Turkey and Spain in Team Kata and Ukraine in both Team Kumite categories completed the list of gold medallist in Zagreb.