As a team Bulgaria came out first in the
U.S Weight Category Karate Championships which took place on 27 January, 2008 (Sunday) in LA, California. Official guests of the competition were
Shihan BobbyLowe ,
Shihan Katsuhito Gorai and
Sensei Dolf Lundgren.
The Bulgarian team came back with:
17 cups in total:
7 champions
5 vice-champions
4 bronze medals
1 award for best technique (Alexander Petrov), a lot of applause and many compliments. The competition was not easy. The distance between Bulgaria and LA is huge (10 000 km), there were 3 flights to be changed and 10 hours time difference. But our team proved that nothing could stop them.
Despite the short period for preparation (3 weeks) many of the fights finished with wazari or ipon made by the Bulgarian fighters. The victories were achieved in the true spirit of Kyokushin, so were the few losses!
Bellow are the results of our competitors. Interviews with the champions and Sensei Traikov and Sensei Asenov will follow soon. There are also a lot of pictures to be uploaded.
Men
Category -70 kg:
Alexander Petrov – 1st place and an award best technique. He won the final scoring ipon with djodan hidza geri.
Nikola Kirov – 3rd place
Georgi Vasilev – 4th place
Category -80 kg:
Stilian Petrov – 1st place
Mladen Banushev – 2nd place
Category +90 kg:
Petar Martinov – 2nd place – he lost after two draws
Hristo Hristov – 3rd place
Women:
Category -55 kg:
Anelia Asenova – 1st place – she won the final doing ipon /djodan mawashi geri/, came out 3rd at kata
Ivelina Banusheva – 3rd place – kumite
Category -65 kg:
Daniela Dineva – 2nd place
Category +65 kg:
Danaila Cherneva – 1st place
Nadezda Petrova – 2nd place
Junior Boys under 18 years:
Dean Batkov – 1st place – 3 victories in the first round. He won the final with ipon – ushiro geri.
Junior Girls under 14 years:
Alexandra Marinova – 1st place
Junior Girls 15-17 years:
Stanislava Boycheva – 1st place
Ivelina Dimitrova – 2nd place
We would like to thank the general sponsor of the Bulgarian national team – Insurance Company Armeetz.
Our boys and girls once again made us proud to be Bulgarians!
