Kiokushinkai karate occupies a special place among various Eastern martial arts and combats — not only because this is true contact battle karate, but also because of its official status, which is stated in the National Kiokushinkai Karate Federation statute. The federation is member of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee.
Last week the Ukrainian karateists delegation came home from Japan where it took part in the World Championship. This competition is traditionally held every four years in Tokyo, with only one world champion being defined with no division into weight categories. 240 athletes from 102 countries came to Japan to fight for this title. Hitoshi Kiyama, who is, obviously, Japan-based, became world champion. One can view the performance of the two Ukrainians, Kherson-based Serhiy Haran and Anatoly Borysenko representing the Republic of the Crimea, as a success. Our karateists are in the first hundred, ceasing their struggle only after their combats with the hosts. In general, the Ukrainian team occupies the ninth place.
Chairman of Ukraine’s Kiokushin Karate Federation Stanyslav Blyzniuk highly evaluated our karateists’ attainments at the World Championship, stating a considerable progress in this kind of sports in Ukraine. Unlike the World Championship with its very strict rules, in the European Championships, hold in four weight categories, the Ukrainians made much bigger success: they are vice champions of our continent and win many titles, prizes, and medals every year. The World Championship wasn’t the last kiokushinkai karate competition this year. Kyiv championship will be held in December, and on the New Year’s Eve a season closing will be held according to the ancient traditions of this kind of sports.
