We continue to look at the World Championships finals, and we are picking up the women division. With the European selections tournaments still going in replay in our heads, there are no doubt that the level in total has been lifted up significant higher. But looking at the previous finals – there are no doubt that the level has been high for many years – but what we believe, is that not only top 4 are good – but you must be really good to reach top 8! And reaching the top eight, it won’t be easy either. We’v said it before, it’s time to expand the women division into competitors from all nations, not only select from the regions. Video time…!
4 years ago, 2015, Juri Minamihara / Japan vs Szepesi Csenge / Hungary in the final. Both with really strong victories on their way to the final. Really unbelievable, at the time Minamihara was only 16 years old! Trough the tournament several high merited fighters did get a quick exit, and one could see different kind of World Champions, European Champions lost all ready in the first or second fight. (want to take a look back?)
Video from: WKO SHINKYOKUSHINKAI 新極真会
In the second World Championship for women back in 2011, two extremely good fighters met in the final: Margarita Ciuplyte / Lithuania vs Emi Shoguchi / Japan. Ciuplyte with a three in row strike at the EC tittle and was the reign World Champion in weight categories from 2009 (called World Cup at the time) Shoguchi qualifying trough All Japan Open Tournament (been winning it several times, and All Japan weight divisions championship)
Video from: WKO SHINKYOKUSHINKAI 新極真会
In the first Word Championship final we had some of the best fighters trough time. As in all women finals, one Japanese fighter and one from Europe. Veronika Szovetes / Hungary and from Japan Misaki Sato. Both being absolute top fighters of the world – Veronika Szovetes being multiply European Champion AND World Champion weight categories from 2001 and 2005 – in the heavyweight category. Sato on the other hand – also reign world champion in weight categories, but in a lighter weight class. In other word this final contained a fight between two world champions.
Video from: WKO SHINKYOKUSHINKAI 新極真会