Dubai:Egypt and France were multiple medal winners on the opening night of the 2nd Dubai International Karate Championships being held at the Al Ahli Club on Thursday.
Egypt were way ahead in the medal standings with five golds to their credit, while France scooped two golds in the annual competition, which is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council. The three-day event was officialy opened ceremony on Friday afternoon.
Zainab Badawi won the first gold for Egypt, beating her compatriot from Al Rowad Club in the Kata individual female cadets and juniors categories, while Amal Khalifa followed suit with a win over the UAE’s Howra Mohammad in the Kumite female -53kg juniors category.
Yasmine Attia beat Russia’s Elena Ponomareva for the female seniors -55kg title, while Ahmad Abdul Razzaq and Abdul Rahman Ebrahim capped a fine night for Egypt with victories in the male juniors -61kg and male juniors -68kg categories respectively.
France’s two golds came from Sandy Scordo, of the Art Kombat Club, in the Kata individual female seniors and Tiffany Fanjat, of Sarcelles Club, in the Kumite individual female seniors +61kg category.
Kuwait, Spain, Turkey and Iran all ended the first day with one gold medal apiece. Kuwait’s came from Salman Abdul Hussain Sayed, when he beat his brother Mohammad in the Kata individual male juniors, while Spain’s Francisco Jose Salazar beat the UAE’s Ahmad Al Swafy in the Kata individual male seniors.
Ece Yasser took the only medal for Turkey when she overcame Russia’s Olga Malofeeva for the Kumite female seniors -61kg section, while Iran’s 16-year-old Nima Aziz Khani beat Egypt’s Omar Yousuf for the Kumite male juniors -76kg crown.
The event has attracted a field of 1,025 karatekas, including several world champions, from 45 countries.
