The Salzburg stage of the Karate 1 Series A, one of the most competitive international events on the WKF circuit, has come to a close, with four San Marino athletes taking part alongside coach Alessio Magnelli. Held from 2 to 4 October, the event brought together around 1,300 participants from all over the world.
In the kata discipline, Denise Bertozzi faced a crowded field of 128 athletes, bowing out in the first round to Switzerland’s Ritz Maia.
In kumite, Emanuele Magnelli, competing in the +84 kg category, delivered a closely fought bout against Azerbaijan’s Karimzada Nihad, which ended 1-1 and was decided by Hantei (judges’ decision) in favour of his opponent.
Michele Callini, competing in the -60 kg category, faced France’s Pierrot Gaspard and was defeated. Rebecca Gaidella also put in a strong performance in the -55 kg category, battling hard against Turkey’s Dikici Irem Naz, who went on to finish the competition in 7th place.
Eleonora Gaidella made her Series A and Senior category debut in the -50 kg division. The young San Marino athlete was defeated by Spain’s Gomez Morales Nadia, who also finished in 7th place.
“Salzburg was an important test for our athletes, especially given the extremely high level and international field at this Series A event,” said FESAM president Maurizio Mazza. “Experiences like this are essential for measuring ourselves against the best karate in the world and continuing the national team’s growth.”
The San Marino athletes’ next competitive outing will be the Small States European Championships, set to take place in Malta this coming weekend.
