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.
In this category, the heaviest one, we have the heaviest merited athletes also! Two of them, and both from Japan stand out significantly from the rest. Emi Shoguchi, well known for the most of us, being the World Champion of the 10th World Championship 2011 (the 2nd World Championship for women) Being the runner up in World Championship weight categories in 2013 Confirmed her level.
We can also mention that she has 4 All Japan Open (open weight) championships victories, and 5 All Japan Open weight category victories..!
Misaki Sato, the only women that have been at the top spot in the World Championship in weight categories (World Cup) three times! Also the runner up in the World Championship in 2009 (open weight) and third place at the World Championship 2015. JFKO All Japan Open Champion two times, All Japan Open Weight champion as well. New this time is that Sato will compete in the heaviest category, instead of middleweight like she did earlier. (before the new weight categories)
A another topic is that several top heavyweight fighters from last time are out stopped up fighting or out for other reasons. But as we have seen before, when some one leave a space open, new shining stars will enter!
In the upper half of the draw, Emi Shoguchi will be a favorite, but here are several strong fighters there to meet.
A challenge should be in the second fight, Aneta Meskauskiene, IFK/KWU. She has been at the World Championship KWU podium two times, 2013/15. But fail to reach the podium in the IFK World Championship recently, stopped effectively with techniques to the body that ended the fight. Nahoko Tanioka, Japan could be the one that advances further down the draw, and will possible met Nora Vaznelyte, Lithuania – vice champion in the EC from 2015/16, a strong competitor with the capacity to reach further in the tournament.
Anna Vishniakova, Russia, Is one of the ones we mention in the lower block. We think she is advancing, into second round possibly third. In the second round, we believe that her opponent will be Sara Hägge, Sweden, the reign European Champion 2017.
Sato will be the heavy favorite in the lower block, and in to the second round there will be Lithuanian new star, Monika Ryzkovaite – EC runner up, lost against Hägge. Ryzkovaite, do have a inhuman pace, and the question is if Sato can tame it. The winner of Sato vs Ryzkovaite will meet the winner of Vishniakova vs Hägge (if, if and another if) – and the top spots are on the stake!
Many expected to see strong heavyweight fighters as Csenge Szepesi , Hungary (World Champion) Agata Winiarska, Poland (recently world champion IFK) but as mention, when some leaves a space, new ones will take the spot!
