Date: October 14, 2017
Place: Samobor, Croatia
Organizer: Croatia Branch Chief Milan Garasic
On October 14, Karate Club Mladost Samobor, Croatia, once again has organized the traditional Branko Bošnjak Memorial tournament.
This year, 70 fighters from 13 countries participated: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Kuwait, Ltihuania, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.
The competition was once again a great success. Beginning of competition started on Wednesday when the first teams started to arrive, team from Kuwait and on Thursday, team from Denmark. Medical check, weight control, and welcome party was held at the official hotel, Holiday. After the welcome party dinner, the draw for fights was made in the most democratic way, by lottery system.
Saturday was a crown of all happenings. Fights were strong and hard. Very good fighters demonstrated the beauty of our karate. In this hard competition, Croatia was represented by 8 fighters.
We must mention that once again there was a lot of European Championship medalists participating in the tournament. There was a lot of excellent fights, but we must mention that France competitor in women +65kg category Ms. Camille Hadouche stepped on the highest place of winner podium, and that she has defeated opponents that were 24kg heavier than her, and with her big endurance and good fight she deserved a special award for best fighting spirit.
Young competitor from Hungary, Fekete Farkas Mor, won gold in men -75kg category where he dominated and won special award for best fighting technique.
Domestic fighter, Nika Jakobović was the youngest competitor in the tournament (17 years old), but she has shown a true power of budo spirit, great stamina and will to win. She was defeated by Eider Cardenosa (Spain) European medalist, but Nika did not back down and with 2nd place was awarded a special prize by Shihan Furko Kalman himself.
In other categories, men -85kg, there was a rematch from last year where Rasmus Bergstrom (Sweden) and Tamas Popovics (Hungary) met again in final fight. Both of them have shown excellent fights but at the end Popovics from Hungary was the winner.
Unfortunately in the men -65kg category, the final fight was not held due to the injury of Milad Samizade (Sweden), where once again he met his last year final fight opponent Anthony Senechal (France). This would have been a great fight.
Men +85kg category was a little surprise due to the fact that Lizak Richard (Hungary), last year champion, was defeated in semifinal by Kristoffer Breindal (Denmark), who met his countrymen Fady Allan in final. Fady won. Men super heavyweight category was very strong but Fady and Breindal dominated.
Women categories were also exciting. European medalist and BB Memorial medalist Veronika Nemeth (Hungary) won in -55kg category. She had very strong and uncertain fights but she demonstrated her quality and won.
Women -60kg category was won also by multiple BB Memorial medalist Anett Leiter, who has defeated opponents from Hungary and Sweden.
-65kg category was created due to the fact that at the end of registration was 18 fighters applied in +60kg. On initiative of some teams, organizer made a new -65kg category and this was a full hit, due the fact that there was a big weight difference among fighters in +60kg category. At the end, 8 fighters were in this -65kg category and Ivanka Deleva (Bulgaria) defeated domestic fighter and two strong Lithuanians in a row to become the champion.
Branko Bošnjak Memorial tournament was once again sponsored by several ministry departments of Croatian govermant: Ministry of War Veterans, Ministry of Police, National TV station, City of Samobor, Samobor Sport Union and domestic radio station.
Competition was opened by State Secretary Mrs. Nevenka Benić, who was a special delegate of Croatian War Veteran Minister, Mr. Tomo Medved.
Also, Dr. Josip Mihaljević, war comrade of Branko Bošnjak, addressed a very emotional speech to all present.
The series of events ended with a traditional sayonara party in the hotel.
22nd BRANKO BOŠNJAK MEMORIAL – RESULTS
01. WOMEN -50 kg LIGHTWEIGHT
I. EIDER CARDENOSA – SPAIN
II. Nika Jakobović – CROATIA
III. Tsveta Ignatova – BULGARIA
02. WOMEN -55 kg MIDDLEWEIGHT
I. Veronika Nemeth – HUNGARY
II. Anna Bielska – POLAND
III. UXUE LOPEZ DE ALDA – SPAIN
III. Evelin Bernáth – HUNGARY
03. WOMEN – 60 kg HEAVYWEIGHT
I. Anett Leiter – HUNGARY
II. Kovacs Eszter – HUNGARY
III. Cecilia Wallin – SWEDEN
04. WOMEN -65kg HEAVYWEIGHT
I. Ivanka Deleva – BULGARIA
II. MAGDALENA GUSTAITYTE – LITHUANIA
III. AISTE TATARUNAITE – LITHUANIA
III. Sanne Larsson – SWEDEN
05. WOMEN + 65kg SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT
I. HADDOUCHE Camille – FRANCE
II. AIALA GARCIA – SPAIN
III. BRIGITA GUSTAITYTE – LITHUANIA
III. Christine Buchholtz – DENMARK
06. MEN -65 kg LIGHTWEIGHT
I. SENECHAL Anthony – FRANCE
II. Ziyafatalla (Milad) Samizade – SWEDEN
III. Daniel Sternik – POLAND
III. Stefan Chervenkov – SWEDEN
07. MEN -75 kg MIDDLEWEIGHT
I. Fekete Farkas Mór – HUNGARY
II. Ali Hayder – SWEDEN
III. BRENNET Aurélien – FRANCE
III. MARTIN THAUVOYE – BELGIUM
08. MEN -85 kg HEAVYWEIGHT
I. Tamás Popovics – HUNGARY
II. Rasmus Bergström – SWEDEN
III. Bálint Ujvári – HUNGARY
IV. Miroslav Milev – BULGARIA
09. MEN + 85 kg SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT
I. Fady Allan – DENMARK
II. Kristoffer Breindal – DENMARK
III. ABDELLAH IMRAN YAHI – SPAIN
III. LIZAK RICHARD – HUNGARY
SPECIAL PRIZES:
BEST FIGHTING TECHNIQUE:FEKETE FARKAS MOR – HUNGARY
BEST FIGHING SPIRIT:HADDOUCHE CAMILLE – FRANCE
SPECIAL SHIHAN FURKO KALMAN PRIZE: NIKA JAKOBOVIĆ – CROATIA