The categories of Female Kumite on Day 2 of the 2023 World Karate Championships being held in Budapest (Hungary) were a celebration of the Olympic status of athletes as Olympians Ivet Goranova, Li Gong, and Moldir Zhangbyrbay all qualified for the finals at stake today.

Olympian Moldir Zhangbyrbay of Kazakhstan produced one of the big upsets of the day as she defeated top favourite and Grand Winner Yorgelis Salazar of Venezuela in spectacular fashion 11-3.

Zhangbyrbay's qualification is one more success for the Kazakh delegation and one more recognition for the Olympian who is also a two-time continental medallist and two-time Karate 1-Premier League winner.

The other spot in the final of Female Kumite -50kg is taken by Erminia Perfetto of Italy who made it to the title-deciding bout after beating China's Li Ranran 7-5.

Perfectto headlines a new generation of karatekas and adds a medal in Karate's biggest event to her silver at the 2022 EKF Championships and her bronze at the Karate 1-Premier League Baku.

OLYMPIAN LI GONG SHOWS STRENGHT IN FEMALE KUMITE -61KG  

The category of Female Kumite -61kg was shaken up by Olympian Li Gong of China who few weeks after claiming an outstanding victory at the Asian Games confirms her return to Karate's elite with a hard-fought qualification to the final.

The Olympic Games bronze medallist took a slim 1-0 victory over France's Laura Sivert and reaches her first World Championships final in her first appearance at the event.

Her rival is surprising Fatma Naz Yenen of Turkiye who upset favourites and made it to her first final also in her first participation. The 2023 Karate 1-Premier League Dublin runner-up beat Aly Noursin of Egypt 9-5 and became one of the sensations of the event.

IVET GORANOVA VS TUBA YAKAN IN FEMALE KUMITE -55KG

Olympic Games gold medallist Ivet Goranova of Bulgaria aims at her second biggest achievement after the Olympic title as she qualified for the final of Female Kumite -55kg.

Goranova's qualification to the final was full of suspense as she was declared the winner of the semifinal against Anzhelika Terliuga of Ukraine after a protest. The protest was approved, the result was reverted and Goranova ended up winning the semifinal 6-4.

Olympian Goranova is a two-time World Championships bronze medallist and a 2022 EKF Championships runner-up.

The other finalist is Tuba Yakan of Turkiye who claimed the second final for the Turkish delegation in Female Kumite following a slim 1-0 victory over Barbara Perez of Venezuela.

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The final in Budapest is Yakan's best result to date since she has two continental crowns as her best result.

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