Shinkyokushin Open Weight EC was held Saturday 3rd December, Poland. Organized in/by Kokoro Cup format – tournament. As one could expect, some fall outs during the last time in towards the tournament was a fact. After a World Championship in September – one could not be surprised. Luckily the mass of fighters and the level are very satisfying!
Pictures by Okiem Sportowca / Mateusz Golomb
The focus on the women division was very sharp – not so strange, since this was “the road to Japan” Qualifying tournament to The 13th World Open Karate Championship 2023. Looking back on the EC Open-weight – we have a really nice mix of established fighters and young blood coming up – challenging the elite to become one of them.
When you have trouble to predict the outcome of fights and tournaments – then it is going to be interesting for real!
Two champions we got, Ivanka Popova / Bulgaria – secured her 2nd Open Weight tittle (2018) and Marek Wolny / Poland – fought his way into to long awaited 1st place!
Picture by Okiem Sportowca / Mateusz Golomb
Women division (Men will be coming up soon)
Ivanka Popova entered the 32 fighters division, and secured a win against home fighter Natalia Smith / Poland. Smith doing a good job, but it is not expected that she will go all the way and win against Popova – the 3rd place holder from World Championship in September.
Anastasia Mikhalova / Germany impressed in her first fight, winning on high pace and good movements vs Julija Balčiūtė / Lithuania. Mikhalova giving away close to 30 kg, and keep it going 3+2 minutes before she earns a 3 flag decision. Popova possesses power and high pace, and getting hold of Mikhalova in their 2nd fight of the day.
3rd fight for Popova gave vs Bulgaria vs Lithuania,Marija Sekunda. Sekunda advancing after 1st fight using her size advantage and aggression against Spanish fighter Maria Adria, who shows great spirit, goes the distance with over 30 kg in minus – that’s a really hard challenge, but this is the “Open-Weight”
Marija Sekunda vs Maria Adria
Next fight for Sekunda was against a incredible tough Alona Veresniak / Ukraine, who was victorious by K.O.in the first fight – despite being significant smaller/lighter – and gives away 35 kg vs Sekunda – who earns a 3 flag decision after ordinary round. A fight with high pace, Veresniak not backing up an inch – just in the matter of being forced back by Technics.
Marija Sekunda vs Alona Veresniak
Popova vs Sekunda really shows the capacity of Popova, as she rides of a aggressive opening, neutralizes her opponents as she adapt to the fight, take over and outpaces, outmaneuvers the larger opponent totally the last part of the fight. The fight gives us a 3+2 before victory to Popova over a hard fighting – all in Marija Sekunda.
.
The next in the line of Popova was Lithuanian top lightweight fighter and reign EC lightweight champion Brigita Svinkūnaitė. This is a really competent fighter, beyond her weight category. Svinkūnaitė wining a fast victory in the first fight vs Oksana Pylypovych / Ukraine – being all over with superb Technics and rapid punches to the body. Next fight gives Svinkūnaitė a good win, defeating french fighter Camille Haddouche. Taking the initiative from the start with good kicking skills, following up with series of rapid punches to the stomach – Svinkūnaitė controls the fight far more than expected and it is very hard to win back the control if you have lost in in the first place.
Brigita Svinkūnaitė vs Camille Camille Haddouche
The fight raises in pace, and this to Svinkūnaitė favor. The footwork and angles are to good combined with the pace so that Haddouche can follow – and one can get the impression that Haddouche are hunting a little more in the direction of power-hits. Haddouche is a class fighter, but can not get hold of the light-footed technician from Lithuania – victory to Svinkūnaitė.
.
Up to this point Svinkūnaitė had done a great tournament, but she had yet the greatest win to come: Lili Mezo / Hungary. We all know the level of Mezo, and for the most of us it was exactly the Open-weight EC tournament win that made her break through for real. The win in the 2019 EC open-weight – that had the same setting as this tournament (World Championship qualifying) was only the start. But this time the third fight became the last of the day for Mezo, who had started with two wins: 1st fight win against Uxue Lopez De Alda / Spain and 2nd fight win against Anna Bojda / Poland.
Lily Mezo vs Brigita Svinkūnaitė
All ready from the start, the fight shows us a very high level – and it continues with that. Mezo is pushing forward, with control as Svinkūnaitė moves from side to side, with high paced combinations. After ordinary round the judges gives two flags in favor of Svinkūnaitė, an extra round is a fact. This round gives us some of the same impression as the first, Mezo very controlled – but for sure picking her shots – Svinkūnaitė very movable with rapid combinations. It is a difficult task for Mezo – if she make the pressure hard, Svinkūnaitė will get a bigger win in her movements, if Mezo holds back – she will look less active. After this 5 flags goes to Svinkūnaitė in an very interesting and good fight.
.
Ivanka Popova got the speed and power to make a difference in many of her fights, this versus Svinkūnaitė no exception. Popova have a great balance between pressure and movement, and this makes her able to catch Svinkūnaitė – and keep the pressure on almost the whole fight. Svinkūnaitė struggles to get the good angles as she did in previous fights – but making a very good figure. 3 minutes and three flag to Popova who enters the final and the 5th fight of the day vs Mirjam Björklund / Sweden.
Ivanka Popova vs Brigita Svinkūnaitė
Mirjam Björklund arrow has been pointing upwards, entering the EC podium in 2021, repeating it in 2022 – and secured a third place in the World Championship in September. And yes, that did Popova also – but in the a higher weight-category.
Björklund did really move trough the tournament drawing attention as she secured win after win against highly profiled fighters. One could expect a win in the first fight vs Sylwia Wróbel / Poland – but to win the next was a little more questionable vs the veteran Aneta Meškauskienė / Lithuania. An ordinary round was enough, Björklund switching on and off with the pressure, and Meškauskienė could not find the rhythm in the fight, Björklund was the one in charge, controlling the fight.
Picture by Okiem Sportowca / Mateusz Golomb
Mirjam Björklund vs Aneta Meškauskienė
The next fight for Björklund was against the very competent Csenge Tóth / Hungary. Tóth delivers solid as always, and advances trough the tournament with two win. First one against Spanish fighter Maitane Fernandez, in the 2nd fight – Katarzyna Jaśkowska / Poland. In this year EC in weight categories, Jaśkowska came into 3rd place, and Tóth in 2nd place -but they did not fight, both lost to Monika Zielińska.
Picture by Okiem Sportowca / Mateusz Golomb
Maitane Fernandez vs Csenge Tóth
The pattern reminds us of the previous fight, and Björklund seems to be the strongest,especially in the last part of the fight. Strong in the pressure and good inside lowkicks.Two flags in Björklund’s favor, and off we go again. The extension picks up where theordinary round ended, and the whole round are more or less in close fight with low punches and knees to the legs. After this round 5 flags to Björklund, being the one pushing forward.
.
Next fight for Björklund, the 4th for the day was against Polish top fighter Marta Lubos. Lubos had secured her wins with good effective fighting, 1st win against young promising Viktoria Boka / Hungary – the reign U-21 EC Champion -65 kg, 2nd fight against very technical and tough Nika Jakobović / Croatia. 3rd fight a class win over U-21 EC Champion this November: Anastasiia Nesterenko
/ Ukraine. Lubos being the most experienced, but Nesterenko had the size and reach advantage. Nesterenko also well known for having techniques that will give a score or end the fight before full time. Lubos coming in twenty kg lighter secure the pressure, neutralizing the reach of Nesterenko – but have to work very hard to keep the initiative. Nesterenko comes alive in the last part of the fight, shows more of her repertoire and even the fight out a bit – but to late – Lubos awarded the 3 flag victory.
Marta Lubos
Marta Lubos vs Mirjam Björklund – semifinal starts off, and as Lubos closes the gap, Björklund mixes the distance and the rhythm and chooses the right moments. Both playing their game, quite even – but one can get a hunch that Björklund manage to get her will a little bit more than Lubos. 3 minutes goes by, and an extra round must be done.
.
In this round, we see that the fight goes into a another pattern. Now the measuring and the longer distance comes into play – more kicks use, naturally since the longer distance invites to this. Björklund have little more reach in her favor, and know to use it. Lubos stays active – keep the pressure on. Both with top skills. The need for another extension is a fact! Picture by
Okiem Sportowca /
Mateusz Golomb Marta Lubos vs Mirjam Björklund
The 3rd round becomes a mix of what we have seen up to this point, and now we can see that a long day and a long fight begins to take its tall. During the on/off pressure from Björklund – she create long distance, during this transition many lowkicks find its way to the legs of Lubos – this will tear anyone down, at for sure this is also easy to registrar if you see the fight from the “outside” Two minutes gone – and Björklund takes the fight with 3 flags – ready for the final vs Popova.
Mirjam Björklund vs Ivanka Popova
The final Ivanka Popova vs Mirjam Björklund – both goes straight to the case, working hard om their opponent whit all they have. In a good pace kicks, knees and punches are being exchanged and without doubt eating away in bodies that have four fights with damage all ready. We get the decision at the very end of the ordinary round, after heavy extensions Popova get the upper hand and earns a Waza-ari with punch to the body of Björklund. With only seconds left of the fight, this becomes the results. Both seems clearly moved by the fact that it is all over. A incredible strong achievement from Björklund – and a great win for Popova as well!
Mirjam Björklund get the Spirit Award to top it all, as Brigita Svinkūnaitė receives Technical award.
Mirjam Björklund Spirit award & Brigita Svinkūnaitė receives Technical award
