Last chance! -to qualify,that’s whats on the menu in Hungary 24th June. The qualifying to the 13th World Championship 2023, in the women division.
28 fighters in the line up, from thirteen nations. A strong line up, and once again: it is very, very hard to get the right to enter the World Championship WKO Shinkyokushin.
As usual, Lithuania and Poland are the nations with largest teams. Lithuania alone brings eight fighters, Poland with five. With 28 fighters comes a natural spread in level, merits and weight. The first selection gave us 8 fighters , and in this selection we will have six more.
We pointed out Lithuania and Poland – being the two largest team. No doubt that they also will be present in the top six of this tournament as well. Having a large team will of course help, and for sure it tells us a little about the capacity a nation have when you can bring such a large team.
Lithuania – many fighters high level
Well known highly merited fighters from Lithuania as Brigita Gustaitytė and Aneta Meškauskienė will sharpen the team – as well as the category. Both expected to manage the qualifying – but as always: every fight must be fought!
Further looking into the Lithuanian team, we notice fighters as Rima Lisinskaitė and Erika Rukšėnaitė – both very experience on the highest level. Erika Rukšėnaitė showed recently very effective fighting in the Carpathia Cup, sharp techniques that produce results that count, scores in other words. Rima Lisinskaitė does have very good fighting skills, but more recently we have been used to see her in the Kata division – at again at the highest level – very impressive to reach a top level in both disciplines.
Poland – quality when it counts
Taking a quick look at the Polish team, we can confirm that the level will be at the best – three of the five fighters was at the EC podium this Spring in Sweden. Katarzyna Jaśkowska and Oliwia Kurzątkowska finalists in their classes. Katarzyna in the heaviest category, Oliwia in the -55 kg category – same category she won the U-21 EC title in 2021. Anna Bojda reached 3rd place – was the finalist last year – and did recently pull of the top position in the Polish Championship Weight category. The fighters really raises the level when it is needed at the most, as it will be in this tournament!
Spain with three fighters have the 3rd largest team
Maitane Fernandez, Uxue Lopez De Alda and Maria Adria represent Spain, as the have done many time before. last mention, Maria Adria, is the one with the European Championship record. Manage to reach the EC podium in 2019 and in 2020. All three participated in the Open Weight tournament last time in Poland, facing really hard opponents in their first fight.
Uxue Lopez De Alda fought Lili Mezo / Hungary and lost, Maitane Fernandez fought Csenge Tóth / Hungary and lost. Maria Adria showed great spirit fighting Maija Sekunda / Lithuania – and that with a weight difference close to 40 kg. But, this is open Weight and it might be in that direction this time also – depending on the draw.
Picture by Jon Guinea
Hungary – two fighters, two European Champions
Viktoria Boka is the reign U-21 European Champions. Stepping up in the senior division will not be the first time, so she know to prepare for things to come. Not to forget that Hungary already have two top fighters ready,Lili Mezo and Csenge Tóth. Berta Szalay went all the way in the European Championship in 2022 – and for many it was a big surprise. Winning a very good category, facing several merited fighters and winning. maybe the biggest “eye opener” came in the quarter final – winning over the superb Ivanka Popova / Bulgaria. This Spring, the result was 3rd in the EC – proving last years results was no coincident.
Croatia two fighters, from the opposite side in the weight scale. Nika Jakobović, been successful in the lightest weight category – two times EC podium (this year she went up a weight class, moved on into the second round. Kristina Kojundžić – for us, kind of an veteran in the game. Kristina Kojundžić has been fighting for a long time, and have faced the absolute elite in Europe. Always been an explosive hard fighter to face, win or loose it will cost.
Ukraine, France, Norway, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Greece, Germany and Romania enters the tournament with one fighter. Alona Veresniak / Ukraine, is probably the most merited of them with multiply EC medals and World Championships medals as well.
Almost the same for Anastasia Mikhalova / Germany, with three EC medals last three tournaments. Manage to advance last time in the EC Open Weight, before loosing to champion Popova in the second. Rafaela Evangelia Tsakiri / Greece – two time EC podium 2022 and 23. Veresniak, Mikhalova and Tsakiri – all fighting in the lightest category (-50 kg) on regular basis, and will be hunted by the heavier fighters so they not can pull of a weight-different win. They have proven to be tough enough before, can they do it again?
Solmaz Zeynalli / Azerbaijan clearly one to notice, 4 time on the EC podium – the same numbers of times attended. Camille Haddouche / France – also a EC medal holder, been moving own in the weight categories, has been fighting the best, and have good all-round skills spiced up with some good kicking skills. Sanne Larsson / Sweden, Therese N Østebrød / Norway and Brigitte Margithazi / Romania all experienced to fight the top level, all use to fight in the upper half of the weight categories.
The draw is always a factor, and how it will be put together this time will be very interesting. The Open-weight category will make the draw even more decisive than in a weight category championship.