Karate prepares for the Pan American Video games in Punta del Este – – 2024-05-18 10:32:41

Gabriela Izaguirre, Sofía Orantes, Andrea Ruiz, Jorge Merino, athletes from the Effort and Glory Program, together with Enrique Ruiz and Steven Olivares are the athletes confirmed by the Salvadoran Karate Federation (FSK) to compete within the Pan American Karate Championship, which It would happen from Could 22 to 26 in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Counting all the way down to the journey, the karatekas put together their greatest blows and refine their method to offer their most effort within the continental competitors that can even grant locations for the 2025 World Video games.

Salvadoran athletes stay very optimistic about placing up a very good struggle in Uruguayan territory.

“I’m very excited and my expectations are to get on the rostrum, I’ve been coaching very exhausting each bodily and mentally. The Pan American is considered one of my favourite competitions and crucial this yr, so my expectations are very excessive, we’re going to give the whole lot on the tatami and, to begin with, God, deliver a very good consequence,” commented Gabriella Izaguirre, who will compete in kumite – 50 kilograms.

Izaguirre comes from a coaching base in Chile and from competing within the Karate 1 Premier League Cairo 2024, the place solely one of the best 32 karatekas on the planet rating of every class competed.

Sofia Orantes will compete in the identical class, who initially of Could was positioned in fifth place in kumite -50 kg, U21 class, on the planet rating of the World Karate Federation (WKF) and can also be ranked primary in America.

Sofía has remained within the high 10 of this depend since October 2023 and is among the figures of Salvadoran karate.

Jorge Merino will compete in kumite -84 kilograms and can attempt to add to his report his ninth medal in a Pan American Karate Championship.

“I really feel higher than on different events, we now have the preparation and stage, along with the assist of INDES, and I believe it’s more likely to win a gold medal and get on the rostrum. The Pan American is my favourite competitors of the yr, I’ve had good experiences and I hope to repeat the feat of getting on the rostrum,” mentioned Jorge, who comes from a three-week coaching base in Cali, Colombia.

In 2021 and in Punta del Este, the nationwide karate fighter gained the gold medal by beating the American Kamran Madani 3-0 within the -84 kilogram ultimate and it’s a feat that he needs to repeat.

Merino additionally gained a bronze medal on the Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Karate Championship and was champion in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2013 and Lima 2014. His report additionally contains third place within the continental competitors in Brazil 2016 and in Panama 2019. In his Within the final three participations, Jorge has obtained gold in Punta del Este 2021, a bronze medal in Curacao 2021 and silver in Costa Rica 2023.

Steven Olivares, an athlete born in the USA, however with Salvadoran roots, represented the nation within the San José 2023 Pan American Video games, whereas for Sofía Orantes it is going to be her first expertise in a serious continental occasion, though she has already represented the nation on the youth stage.

Enrique Ruiz is Andrea’s youthful brother, he’ll compete in kumite -75 kg.

“My first Main Pan American Championship was final yr in Costa Rica and it’s thrilling to compete alongside my sister Andrea, she has at all times supported me simply as I’ve supported her. We at all times inform ourselves that we now have to attempt to do one of the best,” mentioned Enrique, a 22-year-old athlete.

For her half, Andrea Ruiz will struggle in kumite +68 kilos and can add her third participation in a Main Pan American Championship. “We go along with the medal in our heads, we now have skilled sufficient; I really feel ready and motivated. Within the final championship I used to be one spherical away from preventing for bronze, this yr we’re going to attempt to enhance that consequence,” she mentioned.

The Salvadoran delegation will journey subsequent Monday by way of Panama, from there they’ll arrive to Montevideo and eventually to Punta del Este.

The athletes are joined by referees Karla Flores, Elías Rivas, coach Williams Serrano and Oswalds Mata, president of the FSK who travels as a delegate.

“We hope to deliver a minimum of two medals, that’s the projection we now have and we all know that it will be a troublesome occasion and two locations shall be awarded for the World Video games, however it’s not but identified which classes are outlined.” Serrano commented.

FSK Delegation
Sofia Orantes / Kumite -50 kg
Gabriella Izaguirre / Kumite -50 kg.
Andrea Ruiz / Kumite +68 kg.

Steven Olivares / Kumite -67 kg.
Enrique Ruiz / Kumite -75 kg.
Jorge Merino / Kumite -84 kg.

Elías Rivas / Referee
Karla Flores / Referee
Williams Serrano / Coach
Oswalds Mata / Delegate