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My Personal Experience of the Tournament 

One of the most important event took place last weekend (November 25,26) on Japan. It was the 6th World Kyokushinkai Karate Tournament, organized by the International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan- IKO 3.
We arrived in Tokyo on November 23, 2000 at night. Kancho Matsushima was waiting for us at the Narita Airport, we meet others delegation who arrived that same day. From the Airport a bus take us to the Maebashi Tokyu inn. We were very tired from the 15 hours flight plus 4 hours in the bus who take us to the hotel from the Airport.
Next day (Friday) was more of the free day, and some of us when to the Clinic for referees, at the hotel.
This important competition of Karate, started with the eliminations on Saturday the 25th, in the morning, and run all day. Following on Sunday with the semi-finals and the Finals.  The excellent quality of the competitor make the semi-finals and the finals event a very exiting to watch. There were very good fight between the different fighters representing many countries from around the world. At the end the representatives from Switzerland, Russian, Belgium, Hungary, Canada and Japan proved to be the stronger teams. The final was between Bela Haszman from Hungary and Thorsten Donke, from Switzerland. At the end Thorsten Donke, demonstrated to be the stronger fighter winning the World Champion. The Canadian team were very well represented, Vittorio Russo did an excellent job, showing his good technique and strength. Also Diego Beltran was one of the top competitors at this world tournament, his excellent technique and competitive quality was very well appreciated by many. Unfortunately due a injuries suffering during his fight against the competitor from Russia, could not continue fighting, finishing in 6th place.  The rest of the Canadian Men team, Joe Addeso, Toni Pizzi, and John Kalaidopoulos, even if they do not got to the finals they did and excellent job defending Canada against very strong competitors.
Raul Strikker from Belgium did and extraordinary performance, showing once more time his amazing abilities as fighter, with good technique, and power which allow him to take the 3rd place on this world tournament. Also, the Hungarian Bela Haszman did and excellent performance, a very strong fighter. The competitors Igor Struikhim, Alexander Sitnikov, and Evgeny Pechenin, from Russia did also and excellent performance, they were very strong fighters. Kiko Miura from Japan also did well and was the only Japanese fighter who advance to the semi-finals.

The Women were divided in two categories, the Heavy weight and the light weight. the heavy weight was dominated by Sabrina Cantini from Canada, who did and excellent demonstration of her technique and power which allow her to win the 1st Women World tournament when he defeated the Belgian Peggy Groesser in the finals. The Light weight was dominated by the excellent fighter from Australia Naomi Wood who defeated the Belgian Nancy Vandenberge in the finals.  Naomi Wood was a very fast fighter who dominated all of her fight from the beginning to the end with her speed and magnificent technique.
When the tournament was over, we all when to the convention center to the Sayonara party. It was a wonderful party, which closed that tremendous tournament.

On Monday we have the Seminar in Honbu conducted by Kancho Matsushima. Even if some of the competitors have injuries they manage to get there and do the training, which concentrate mainly on, Kihon, Idogeiko, and Katas. It was a nice experience training with the branch chiefs and black belts from different countries.
 
I would like to thank my students for, giving me as a gift the airlines ticket which make possible my trip to Japan. In this trip I had the chance to meet and train with many people. I had a wonderful experience in this world tournament which I will never forget.

I would like to thank Shihan Roman Szyrajew and Sensei Joe Addesso for all of the help making this trip possible.  Also I would like to thank you Kancho Matsushima and the organizer for making this event possible.

If anyone had any pictures from the tournament, Seminar or the Sayonara party and would like to share with others, please, send it to me so I can add them here. Thank you.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME PICTURES

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