We are approaching this year’s big event, the 6th World Cup in Karate Shinkyokushin,and in this context we will take a closer look at athletes in the respective classes.. Four divisions for men/women, and the best fighters from each region are chosen through results from notable tournaments as All Japan open, European Championship etc.
Women middleweight -55 kg is a category paced with profiles, with reign champion and vice world champion (Open weight), and with a really strong contingent of fighters from Europe and Russia as well – the level is at its best!
Sayaka Kato and Juri Minamihari, Japan, will both attract tension in this category. Kato well known from many tournaments, being the captain of the Japanese team – and she is the World Champion from 2013 in the lightweight category. Minamihari, runner up in the 11th World Championship only 16 years old!
Europe are strongly represented also in this category, and with 4* European Champions in the line up it is safe to say that this will be highly interesting! Three of the four are ruling Champions, Zsofia Szabo, Hungary and Emma Markwell GB / IFK/KWU. Spanish top fighter Isis Pinilla, European Champion, two times EC Champion and runner up in 2016.4* Russia do also have strong fighters, Alina Polischuk, European Champion 2015 Kyokushin-Kan / Royama – and winner of Diamond Cup 2016.
If the favorites gets it their way in their first fights, Kato vs Pinilla could be a fact in the second round. This will be a tough fight, and the winner will really be ready for more – as the next fight could be Zsofia Szabo or Anastassiya Mironenko from Kazakhstan. In this case it might be a factor how much the first fights will take out of them, but that`s the way of a champion, and they have done it before. Zsofia Szabo also have the capacity to finish fights before full time, earning points with damaging techniques.
Alina Polishchuk, Russia vs Veronika Nemeth, Hungary in their first fight will also be a tough one. Nemeth been on the EC podium 2016/17. Polishchuk will maybe be the stronger one, showed good stamina fighting in the IFK World Tournament in May. Emma Markwell UK, will most likely enters the 2nd round, more (heavy) merited an experienced than her opponent. Dzhunai Alieva, Russia will have her hands full against Juri Minamihari, Japan. We think Minamihari will enter second round vs Markwell. Marwell`s reach most be noticed, and this should be a factor for both fighters. The outcome will bring the winner up against Polishchuk or Nemeth we think.
