World Youth Karate Championships, the anticipation for the 19 Italian finals is growing in Jesolo

Having concluded the last day of preliminaries, the anticipation is growing for the finals of the Youth Karate World Championships underway in Jesolo. Today the cadets were competing, adding another five finals to the Italian haul: Almerico Tommasino and Graziella Ecchili will fight for the world title; for bronze instead Matteo Freda, Nicole Correddu and Carmine Apicella.

Kumite cadets, two Italians chasing gold

Almerico Tommasino left no chance for any opponent in the 70 kg and took the pass to the final: 8-0 over the Danish Udahl, 4-0 over the Russian Darafeyuk, 7-4 over the Saudi Albargawi and, in the semi-final, a clear 5- 0 on the Egyptian Gad Ali. The Montenegrin Saljiu will compete for the title tomorrow. Another great satisfaction for Tommasino, after the bronze won at the European Championships in the category. Graziella Ecchili is also phenomenal, who will compete for the gold medal against the Egyptian Nourhan Elmorosi. Along the way, she beat the Croatian Panic 4-0, the Slovenian Medic 4-1 and the Belgian Rejraji 8-0, before also triumphing 9-4 in the semi-final against the Russian Alina Petrenko.

The finals for bronze

For bronze, however, in kumite there are Nicole Correddu and Carmine Apicella, also protagonists of a great competition. Correddu, in the +61 kg category, only gave up in the semi-final against the Palestinian Mariam Basharat. Previously she had beaten the Greek Galani, the Serbian Miranovic and the Scottish Ewing. Carmine Apicella, in the 57 kg, beat the Slovenian Erdelic, the Emirate Alsereidi and the Saudi Aldhafeeri and stopped in the quarterfinals against the Jordanian Alharasees. Recovered, he beat the Turkish Alper Gunes and tomorrow morning he will challenge the Spaniard Rios Garcia for a place on the podium.

The eliminated

Eliminated, again in kumite, are Zodda, Bianco, Castro and Ruocco. Francesca Sofia Zodda was defeated in the first round by the French Echamaa in the 47 kg, while Ilaria Bianco, in the 54, by the Japanese Karikomi after a first victory over the Bosnian Vujic. Riccardo Castro, in the first round of the 52 kg, gave way to the Romanian David, while Armando Ruocco in the 63 kg won two matches before being eliminated by the Kazakh Raushanbek in a truly balanced match. Like them, Francesco Ferrarini finally exited after the defeat in the second round against the Egyptian Mazen Afifi.

Kata, the results of the blues

In the kata, already the European class bronze in charge, Matteo Freda earned a final after a difficult journey in which he gave a great account of himself. Nice victories over the Bangladeshi Choudhury and the Slovakian Gendes, before stopping in the quarterfinals for a handful of points against the Turkish Tarik Koc in an even match. Koc, then a finalist, caught up with the Italian who didn’t miss the opportunity and by beating the Chinese he flew into the final. She will challenge the Egyptian Adam Ellithy. Sofia Crucitti however was eliminated, despite the fact that she also performed very well in the race. Before going out with the Indonesian Putri, she had in fact won two matches with the Canadian Truong and the German Baghdjian.