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.
Light Heavyweight division, and yes “heavyweight” ,many feel this is a bit misleading, under 60 kg. Maybe light and heavy Middleweight could be an option?. Anyway the the category have some really interesting set ups – and the “poster” here could easily be with more than four fighters..
In the line up we have three fighters that have been on the World Champion weight Categories before, or “World Cup” as we used to call it. Noriko Yokoyama, Japan (2nd place in 2013) Gabija Gudeliauskaite, Lithuania, (3rd place in 2013) Inga Mikstaite, Lithuania (3rd place in 2009) And further on World Champion KWU /KWF Guzel Fattakhova ,Russia, Chisaki Araki, Japan, All Japan Open JFKO Champion with more, Irina Valieva , Russia, top fighter with several top results from many tournaments.
We think Chisaki Araki, Japan will advance in to the second round, but she will meet Kimm Carriere, Canada who is an experienced fighter, although Canada is not known as a nation at height with Japan in level. To face Araki in the second round we think Russian fighter Irina Valieva will be the one who advances in to this fight. This will be a good fight, and the winner will for sure bring some “souvenirs” from the fight and further in to the tournament. Irina Valieva, a very experienced fighter, and have been representing Russia in many occasions.
Gabija Gudeliauskaite, Lithuania, one of the top fighters in Europe (2nd to times EC) will be one to look out for. In the way of the draw and taken her skills and experience in to consideration, we believe that she can advance through the early rounds, and would maybe the one who will meet Araki/ Valieva in the third round.
Guzel Fattakhova KWU /KWF, European Champion KWF and World Champion KWU, would be one of the heaviest merited fighter in the line up. But a strong impression from the top level in Lithuania was proven when Fattakhova became neutralized and dominated by Inga Mikstaite in the 1st KWU European Championship 2016. And according to the draw, there is a theoretical possibility that they can meet in the semifinal. Both of them have to face some heavy challenges. Fattakhova will be tested in the second round, when she most likely will face Noriko Yokoyama, Japan. On the paper Fattakhova has the strongest results, but we think that Yokoyama will be hard to beat.
Inga Mikstaite, do have more than one hard fight in the early rounds. Second fight will be against Rika Hasegawa, Japan or European Champion Ruta Brazdzionyte, Lithuania. If they both get the win in their first fight: Mikstaite vs Khethiwe Luthuli / Africa. Rika Hasegawa vs Ruta Brazdzionyte will be a fight with a results that will be important to the next fight. If Ruta Brazdzionyte wins this she will meet Mikstaite in their second fight. This is always difficult, to face a country-fellow man early in a big tournament. We have a feeling that Mikstaite will reach longest of the Lithuanian fighters – but one never know. But Mikstate vs Yokoyama in the semi would be kind of expected – in that case one can try to predict a very tough draw!
