During the 4th edition of the KWU World Championship last weekend several WKO fighters attended – and challenged the top elite of KWU fighters – and in some cases not only challenge, but going all the way and winning the category. In this rapport we will focus on the WKO fighters, and how they came out in the KWU tournament.
Kyokushin World Union, KWU, held their 4th edition World Championship – three weeks after the 12th World Open Championship. The two tournaments can not be compared – just because it is Kyokushin and World Tournaments, there are of course some similar lines, but some quite different as well.
WKO fighters had a mix team going into the tournament, with a naturally strong continent from Kazakhstan. Two years ago Lithuania made a strong impression, taking five medals in the men’s categories – including victory by Edgard Sečinski in the -95 kg. Now just after the 12th World Championship, the team from Lithuania was a little more moderate than last time. But Domas Sutkus made it to the final and becomes the vice world champion in -75 kg. This is quit remarkably, Sutkus highest merit from before would be 3rd place in EC 2013 Shinkyokushin and 3rd in KWU EC 2018.
A another 3rd place came in the hands of Polish top fighter Marek Wolny. To make this happen for the second time tells us about stability – and top of that doing so after advancing to the second day in the 12th World Championship – top 32, loosing for the reign vice champion Kembu Iriki. But Wolny have proven to be a real stayer, and the level are good, late October he followed Patryk Sypien all extensions in the Polish Open. Stypien just became the EC Open Weight champion IKO1 this weekend. Wolny got company at his 3rd place: Merey Suyunov / Kazakhstan. He did also make it to day two in the 12th World Championship. The champion of the category was non other than Nazar Nasirov / Russia.
Nazar Nasirov made it to the top 16 in the 12th World Championship, and did get the technical award. Going all the way to the top in this world championship gives a strong end to this season. Facing Jean-Paul Jacquot / France – who always will be a hard nut to crack – but it seemed that the variation and pace of Nasirov made it hard to follow, and Nasirov did find a good way to enter Jacquot inside leg with lowkicks.
We mention that Lithuania made their way last time. This time it was fighters from Kazakhstan who was very visible – men as well as women. Getting the technical award and winning his category with style – Vladimir Artyushin. Fighting KWF European Champion Kristiyan Doychev / Bulgaria in the final, seemed to control it all the way. In the -75 kg category, Artur Kovalenko made it into 3rd place, same as Merey Suyunov in the -90 kg.
Further on Kazakhstan reach 2nd place in the -70 kg category, Yerkebulan Beisembayev made a huge upset on his way to the final, knocking out star fighter (KWU EC champion 2018) Daniel Redondo / Spain i the semi, and really making a great fight against the number one favorite Artur Krymov /Russia.
Andrei Zinchenko did win the – 65 kg category, winning the final by beating the reign champion Ivan Tumashev. The Russian fighter holds a very high level, and has been the AKR All Russian Weight Champion last three years. But unfortunately for him he has become best known around the world for his controversial win against Dmitriy Moiseyev in the last time in the 2017 final. But one should look past that, and recognize his level, proven several times in other occasions. For Zinchenko this was a great win and finally get the tittle. In 2013, 1st KWU World Championship 2013 he lost a dead even final with 2-3 flags to Farid Kasumov. This time it was no doubt Andrei Zinchenko World Champion.
Further on Georgia took a second place in the -60 kg category with Sergo Movesyan, and 3rd place for Lasha Kamarauli in the + 95 kg category, the heaviest category. For Movesyan this would be his highest merit up to now, reached 3rd place in the Shinkyokushin EC this spring, won the KWU EC back in 2018 – and now in the the world championship final. Kamarauli do not have any top spots in the Shin EC or similar, but he is the reign KWU EC champion.
In the women’s division one could also see good results, similar to the men’s division. WKO fighters was represented in all categories on the podium, including winning two of the categories! Also in this case was Kazakhstan strongly represented – and in a way they took the place of the Lithuanian fighters who made a great result last time. in total the count of medals was nine.
Lyudmila Ustyugova Kazakhstan was victorious in lightest category -50 kg. She was very convincing in the final and was never i any danger. Her pressure and intensity made her opponent back out of the tatami several times in the final. Kazakhstan WKO got four 3rd places and one 2nd place in total.
The heaviest category was taken by Brigita Gustaitytė / Lithuania. Runner up in the Shin EC this spring, but early exit in the 12th World Championship. A great results now, and also in this case a very convincing final being “all over” her opponent. Brigita Gustaitytė have a very active tournament schedule, and participate all over the world in various tournament and championships. Slowly but sure the results seems to stabilizes on a higher and higher level.
Poland did also attend, and that with well rounded fighters. Marta Lubos reached 3rd place with strong and high pace fighting. And can add a another trophy to her already impressive collection. Fought Emma Markwell in a very entertaining fight, and this could easily been the final – looking to the quality of the fight. This was a strong achievement in the end of a long season for Lubos, and the shape of a more and more complete fighter shows.
That final became a long and tough fight vs Canadian Julie Lamarre, before Winiarska became the world champion. This time they met in the semi, once again did Winiarska win. In the final Alemgul Sabyrkhan / Kazakhstan we could see a very good fight, good pace and technics. Sabyrkhan pulled out the victory, fighting with good movements and adding lowkicks. Ups and downs for Winiarska could many say i 2019, winning the EC Shinkyokushin for the first time this spring – a little earlier exit in the 12th World Championship – before now reaching the final, and became the vice world champion!
In total a great results was achieved, and it is very interesting to compare the results from a tournament to another. Because it is differences – not only who you can face on the tatami, but also how the different organizations value the fights, uses the rules and regulations, and makes the draw etc.