Three Spanish teams have managed to have a chance of a bronze medal this Sunday in the Karate World Cup for national teams held in the Navarra Arena pavilion in Pamplona.
The men’s kata team, made up of Damián Quintero, Sergio Galán and Raúl Martín, began the morning by beating Hong Kong, Kuwait, Peru and France in the round robin qualifying rounds. They faced the Chinese team in the quarterfinals, winning with ease.
In the semifinals they failed to beat the giant Japan in a closely contested match. Tomorrow they will face Italy for the bronze medals.
The women’s kata team, which had qualified for the semi-finals yesterday, faced Japan, without success either to enter the final, so they will also have to fight for bronze against Italy.
In the women’s kumite modality, the Spanish world champion team composed of María Torres, Indira Zúñiga, Isabel Nieto, Sonia Pereira and Carlota Fernnádez has won the qualifying rounds against China, Chile, Morocco and has not managed to beat France so it has went to the quarterfinals as second in the group.
In the following confrontation with Egypt, the Spanish won after an official protest that, due to an erroneous referee decision, had left them out of the fight for the medals.
In the semifinals they have also failed to beat Japan and will have to fight for bronze tomorrow against Italy.
The worst of the day was the injury of world champion Carlota Fernández, against China, which left her out of the competition.
