2025 Karate 1-Series A:
Iranians collect double golds, one silver on Day 1
The first day of the Karate 1-Series A event in Tbilisi, Georgia, saw Iranian contestants bag three medals, including double golds.
Four-time Asian bronze medalist Fatemeh Sadeqi defeated Lo Sum Man of Hong Kong (41.4-40) in the final to walk away with the ultimate prize in the women’s kata event on Friday.
Portuguese Natacha Fernandes and Maï-Linh Bui of France won the joint-bronze medals of the category.
In the men’s kumite contests, an all-Iranian final showpiece saw Mahmoud Ne’mati overcome Mohsen Safarnejad for the gold in the +84kg weight class, with Turkey’s Fatih Sen and Russian Kovalev Kirill – participating as a neutral athlete – sharing the third podium.
Elsewhere on Day 1, Greek girl Kyriaki Kydonaki came out victorious against Zeyna Gaballa of Turkey in the women’s kumite +68kg final, while Oshiguchi Syota beat fellow-Japanese Ken Okamoto to the men’s kata gold.
More than 1100 karatekas from 87 countries take part in the three-day opening event of the international karate season.
The Karate 1-Series A will be back in Larnaca, Cyprus, on February 14, with Salzburg and Kuala Lumpur also hosting the series throughout the season.