Karate stars on its Olympic debut as all eight golds go to different nations

Iran’s Sajad Ganjzadeh and Egypt’s Feryal Abdelaziz ensured that all eight of karate’s gold medals at stake on its Olympic debut went to different nations as the sport made its mark at the Nippon Budokan on the final day of the competition on Saturday.

Japan, Spain, Egypt, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Iran and Serbia all hit the gold medal trail in karate at Tokyo 2020.

The women’s +61kg kumite event and the men’s +75kg kumite event brought the three-day competition to a close as karate looked at home on the Olympic stage after a thrilling first installment at Tokyo 2020.

Kumite is one of the three main forms of karate, alongside kata and kihon, and is the form of the sport where you face off against an opponent one-on-one and Bulgaria were first to impress in this department.

In the men’s +75kg kumite final, two-time Asian Championships gold medalist Tareg Hamedi was disqualified after he knocked down Iran’s four-time world champion Sajad Ganjzadeh, 29, in the men’s +75kg kumite final with a vicious chest kick. The kick was deemed to have been too aggressive and the gold medal went to the Iranian who reappeared for the victory ceremony where he raised the hand of the silver medalist.

As Ganjzadeh, who received medical attention on the mat for several minutes, was stretchered out the referee announced the disqualification for a stunned Hamedi who thought he had done enough to end Saudi Arabia’s 49-year wait for an Olympic gold.

Saudi Arabia first took part in the Olympics in 1972 and had won three Olympic medals in their history. Those medals came at Sydney 2000 and London 2012 as their wait for gold and nine-year wait for an Olympic medal goes on. Hadi Al-Somaily took silver in the men’s 400 meter hurdles and Khaled Al Eid claimed bronze in equestrian’s individual show jumping in Sydney while Saudi Arabia claimed bronze in London in equestrian’s team jumping event.

Champion Ganjzadeh said: “I don’t exactly know what happened, I know that I was behind, and I was trying to catch up, and just by the end of it I remember that just after the hit, I was on the stretcher.

“When I woke up, when I was getting treated, I remember my coach telling me, ‘you won’. That’s all I remember.

“Overall my health is fine. I had a very severe pain in my head, I had a very bad headache.

“I’m glad to win this medal, but I’m also sorry for my opponent for what happened.”

Silver medalist Hamedi said: “The dream was a gold medal, not a silver, but to get it I’m really honored and so proud that I’m the only Saudi athlete that has a medal for Saudi Arabia.”

“Karate is a beautiful sport. It’s more than just a martial art. It teaches discipline. It teaches respect and self-control.

“It’s a special medal for me because it’s the Olympic Games, and it’s in Japan, although I’m also disappointed.”

The bronze medals went to the losing semi-finalists Ugur Aktas of Turkey and Ryutaro Araga of Japan.

In the women’s final Egypt’s former African Games silver medalist Feryal Abdelaziz defeated Azerbaijan’s reigning European champion Iryna Zaretska to win gold.

Former Ukraine international Zaretska, who switched allegiances in 2015, fell to her popular rival from Egypt 2:0 as both karateka left the competition area in tears.

Abdelaziz said: “I can’t describe my feeling, I am very, very happy.

“I am very tired for four years and after the four years God said to me, it’s the gold and you deserve it’.

“So thank you God and thank you to all my supporters, thank you.”

Abdelaziz has realized her dream and could not put the feeling into words.

“I can’t believe it but my dream came true and I can’t describe my feelings really.

“I am very, very happy.”

Abdelaziz hopes to inspire young karateka in Egypt.

“Do your best in training, do your best in everything and all your efforts will come back to you.”

Bronze medals went to Kazakhstan’s Sofya Berultseva and Li Gong of China.

KEEP READING: