Emeli García shined at the CCONDEKA with gold in kata – – 2024-02-24 12:52:37

Emeli Valentina García left her name recorded as the first gold medalist in kata in the U12 category of the Central American Karate Championship (CCONDEKA 2024), which started today in the Cuna del Mágico with the participation of more than 350 athletes.

The Salvadoran achieved a score of 23.0 against 22.2 for the Panamanian Eskarlett Beltrán and secured a gold medal for El Salvador in a day that closed with good feelings for winning medals in the U12 category, which was new in the regional and in which athletes competed. from 10 to 11 years old.

“It feels very exciting and at the time of the kata I felt happy because of all the support from the public, it is my first CCONDEKA. I trained hard and constant. I won a gold medal in the El Salvador Cup in kata and combat and in the Houston Open as well,” explained the athlete who lives in Santa Tecla and who alternates karate with her studies at the Santa Inés School.

In U12 kumite, -30 kilogram category, Emeli Valentina won the bronze medal after losing the fight against Costa Rican Arianna Vásquez by senhu, that is, when the rival scored the point first.

“For us it is a source of pride because we try to teach our athletes that consistency in their training and all their effort will give them results. Emeli comes from a streak of national and international events.

Currently, she is the national champion in her U12 category and the CCONDEKA was her first competition endorsed by the International Karate Federation.

“He is an excellent athlete, he does his training and studies, this is a sum of the effort and support he receives from his parents and the good team that we make schools with a federation. We have projections with her,” said Carlos Alfredo Callejas, Emeli’s coach.

The gold in CCONDEKA katas adds to Emeli’s extensive record of achievements and is projected as an emerging talent for national karate and who is already on the radar of the Salvadoran Federation as one of the possible replacements for Gabriella Izaguirre, the highest Salvadoran figure of this sport.

For her part, Valeria Serrano achieved a silver medal in katas, cadet category (14.15 years old) by obtaining a score of 22.5 against 23.0 for the Costa Rican Sasha López.

The second medal of the day for the Salvadoran delegation was provided by Fernando Fuentes when he took silver in katas, U14 category, with a score of 20.4 points, while the gold went to the Panamanian Ian Mata with 20.8.

Another of the Salvadoran golds was contributed by Camila Pleitez in U12 kumite -35 kilograms, winning 3-2 against her compatriot Sophia Zepeda.

El Salvador also made it one-two with the final contested by Lean Medina and Xavier Flores in kumite U12 -40 kg.

In cadet kumite -52 kilograms, César Moreno defeated Ahysmar Aaron Petterson 3-0.