IFK fighters shine at Shinkyokushin’s Diamond Cup
IFK fighters and kata competitors featured heavily in the action at the “Antwerp Diamond Cup 2011” hosted by the Belgium Shinkyokushin organisation, held every two years and the fourth of its kind.
On the 28th May, teams from IFK Russia represented by the Novy Urengoi region, IFK Holland from the da Graca Dojo, IFK Switzerland and IFK Great Britain with fighters from around the BKK took part in this unique event where champions receive a diamond in each category.
The event is run under Shinkyokushin rules and uses officials from all Kyokushin organisations to maintain impartial judgement of the bouts. Competitors from other organisations and countries taking part included strong fighters from Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Holland. The competition also included a Kata section for the first time.
Kata categories
IFK Holland had a strong representation with Moreno Van de Voort and Danney van Duyn claiming third places in the Youth and Adult Yellow & Green belt categories respectively. Wesley Jansen performed well in the senior men’s black belt kata category, missing out by the narrowest of margins on gold and the diamond to Raimundas Paskauskas of Lithuania Shinkyokushin.
Kumite categories
In the women’s lightweight, Emma Markwell (BKK) secured a place in the final by defeating Russian Liana Vasilyeva on judge’s decision but was defeated by 2 time diamond winner Diane Maciute of Lithuania.
Womens middleweight had some very tough ladies indeed and Holland IFK’s Priscilla Lambregtse dropped a first round decision against 2 time IKO3 World Champion Mariya Gridneva. The Kazakhstan fighter then defeated Great Britain’s Kelly Balmer before losing a great semi final fight to All Kyokushin World Champion and eventual winner Csenge Szepesi from Shinkyokushin Hungary.
Ladies Heavyweight saw Poland’s Anna Brzezicka defeat both IFK representatives on decision, Sam Williams GB lost a split decision and Switzerland’s Anita Bucher settled for 3rd place losing a decision.
Mens LW probably had the IFK star performance with Dmitry Startsev taking the title. After dispatching All Kyokushin World Champion Gabor Rozsa on decision he then downed Darren Stringer’s defeator Dmitri Bertels with low kick and then KO’d Lithuanian Andrius Misceckas in the final with Ushiro Mawashi Geri. IFK also had Evgeny Solomennikov take 3rd place in this category.
The Men’s Middleweight title was also won by IFK Russia with Tokhtabaev Umbarek winning the diamond and compatriot Andrey Donov gaining 4th place. Britain’s Wai Cheung lost a tight decision to Pole Odzeniak who then lost to Umbarek.
In the final category to feature IFK fighters once again IFK Russia dominated with Alexsander Karshigeev taking the title defeating Lithuania’s Andrius Draugeius in the final. Draugeius had previously defeated IFK’s Alexander Ibragimov on weight and took a debatable 3-2 decision against Artur Tilov in the semi’s. Tilov finished in 4th place. Malcolm Scott of the BKK lost to the very heavy Russian Kravchenko.
