Indonesia's karatekas earn four golds at SKIF world c'ships<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Indonesia earned four gold medals at the
\nseventh Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation (SKIF) World
\nChampionships on Saturday, moving into fourth place in the medal
\nstandings.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's top kata karateka Aswan Ali won the gold in the
\nmen's individual kata and added one more gold in the kata team
\nevent, along with Elias Tande and Wahyu Widayat.<\/p>\n
National women's karateka Meity Kaseger took gold in a bloody
\nmatch in the over 60-kilogram kumite event, outclassing
\nAustralian Fiona Rynne in Saturday's final.<\/p>\n
Rustam Ibrahim earned Indonesia's first gold by defeating
\nD'Aloia Franco of Italy on Friday night in the men's veteran
\nindividual kumite for 55 to 59 year olds. Salvador Gracia of
\nMexico won the bronze.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Christina Sihombing finished third in the women's
\nover 60-kilogram individual kumite. Indonesian Caya Rahmawati
\nearlier captured the gold in the kumite event for 12 to 13 year
\nolds, and Maria Ulfah took another gold for Indonesia in the
\nkumite event for 14 to 15 year olds.<\/p>\n
Aswan overcame Japan's Shinji Tanaka, the silver medalist in
\nthe 1997 championships in Milan, Italy, in the individual kata
\nevent. The bronze went to Nobuaki Kanazawa of Japan, the son of
\nSKIF president Hirokazu Kanazawa.<\/p>\n
\"I thank all the people in this country who have trusted me.
\nThis trust has encouraged me to win. I hope my teammates can also
\ncontribute gold for the country,\" Aswan said after the match.<\/p>\n
Elias, who entered the top eight on Friday along with Aswan,
\nfinished fourth.<\/p>\n
In the team kata event, Indonesia overpowered Japan, while
\nItaly, the runner-up at the 1997 SKIF championship, took bronze.<\/p>\n
Meity was declared the winner in the quarterfinals after
\nItalian Tomi Barbera was injured. She then fought Patricia D.
\nHarada of Australia, who was also battling injury. Harada
\nfinished fourth, losing to Elmira Alakbarova of Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n
Alakbarova lost to Rynne in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, however, was not very successful in the men's
\nindividual kumite event.<\/p>\n
In the under 65-kilogram event, Gurban Taghiyev of Azerbaijan
\nwon the gold by defeating Miguel Yepez of Venezuela in the
\nfinals. Taghiyev's teammate Iossif Djafarov upset Takanori Honda
\nof Japan to take third place.<\/p>\n
As of Saturday night, Japan topped the medal standings with
\nsix golds, seven silvers and seven bronzes, followed by Venezuela
\nwith six golds, six silvers and two bronzes. Azerbaijan was third
\nwith four golds, four silvers and two bronzes.<\/p>\n
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially opened the
\ntournament on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"Don't think that Indonesia is not safe, because you have
\nvisited the country. I also hope that all karatekas maintain
\nsportsmanship because it will boost the sport's positive image,\"
\nshe said during her address.<\/p>\n
Megawati received an honorary dan seven during the ceremony.
\nHirokazu Kanazawa, who displayed his latest fighting style, was
\nhonored with the dan ten, the highest in the shotokan clan. (ivy)<\/p>",
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