On March 9-10, the annual international karate championship “Black Belt Cup 2024” was held in Lecco, Italy, in which the Georgian Shotokan Karate Do Confederation team successfully competed.
The World Karate Federation (W.U.K.F.) organized the competition in Italy. At this prestigious tournament, where 1500 athletes from 20 countries took part, Georgian karate players won a total of 7 medals: 1 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals.
11-year-old Andria Saatashvili, a two-time winner of European and many international tournaments, competed successfully. This time, he took first place and a gold medal in the absolute category of kumite among 11-year-old boys at the International Karate Championship in Italy. In addition to this result, he also won 2 bronze medals in individual kumite +45 kg weight category and individual kata among 11-year-old boys.
Chabuka Makharadze, a four-time world and five-time European champion, as well as a winner of many international tournaments, an athlete with the V blade of the black belt, took the silver medal in the absolute weight category of the individual kumite among adults.
9-year-old Elene Bobokhidze took part in the international tournament for the first time, and confidently competed among 8-9-year-old girls in individual kumite and kata disciplines, winning 3 silver medals at once.
Chabuka Makharadze, silver prize-winning athlete of the international tournament “Black Belt Cup 2024” in Italy: “Black Belt Cup 2024 is a traditional shotokan karate international championship, which was held this year in the city of Lecco, near Milan, Italy. I have successfully participated in this tournament for the third time and I want to tell you that this year the championship was organized at a very high level, competitions were held on 6 mats at the same time for two days in the big sports complex.
“During the competition in the absolute category of kumite among seniors, I went through 3 rounds: in the first round I beat Samuel Ramanes (Romania) 3:0, in the second round I won 5:1 against Luca Marconi (Italy), in the third round I lost 4:5 to the Italian athlete Paulo Simiones, but the fight was equal. It should be noted that at such international championships, all athletes are distinguished by their high professionalism, they are prepared at a high level, the competition is also great, and I am trying to carry the name of our country in a dignified way.
“My 11-year-old student Andria Saatashvili successfully competed in Italy. Although he has been practicing karate under my instructor for 4 years, he has already had serious success in international tournaments and this time he competed successfully. He won the 1st place and the gold medal among 10-11-year-old boys in the absolute category of kumite. He passed 5 rounds and won 4 bouts convincingly: in the first round he beat Samuel Guidone (Italy) 3:1, in the second round he beat Stefano Martinez (Italy) 4:2, in the third round he beat Hugo Lorenzo (Italy) 4:2, and in the fourth round he beat Federico Giovanni. 4:0. In addition, he won 2 bronze medals in individual kumite +45 kg weight category and individual kata among 11-year-old boys.
“There were 25 participants in the individual cat discipline, but in the conditions of such high competition, Andria was able to take the 3rd place and get a bronze medal, Marek Martinez (Italy) took the 1st place, and Stefane Livorini (Italy) took the 2nd place.
“The debutant of the international tournament was 9-year-old Elene Bobokhidze, and I am glad that her international competition turned out to be so successful. She competed among 8-9-year-old girls in individual kumite and kata disciplines and won three silver medals at once. Elena had to fight three matches in individual kumite, in the first round she defeated Ludmila Marconi (Italy) with a score of 3:0, she also won against Marek Stefani (Italy) 4:2, and in the third round she lost to Barbara Giovannisi (Italy) 3:2. There were 18 participants in the cat in its age category. Barbara Ilaski (Italy) took the 1st place, Elena won the silver medal in the 2nd place, and Livjul Anderski (Slovenia) took the 3rd place. Elene Bobokhidze has been training in karate for 2 years in Kutaisi, her coach is Vazha Ungiadze, senior instructor, owner of black belt and VI Dan.
“The kids at this big international tournament in Italy were very happy to get high quality medals in the prize places. I hope that we will continue like this, because these victories are very important for me and my team, an incentive, more motivation to compete again in the future and spotlight Georgia.”
At the tournament, as the head of the Georgian delegation, Chabuka Makharadze was presented with a special prize by the organizing group of the competition, the Sports Karate Union (Unione Karate Sportivo) and Guido Rossini, the official representative of the WUKF in Italy.
