Grappling Their Way To The Top: Maltese Kudo Team Excels At World With Four Vice-Champions
A Maltese team sent to Japan to compete at the World Kudo Championship has returned with four second place medals and one fourth place award – across three age groups and five weight categories.
“Such a high result is a great pride for us,” a Kudo Malta coach told Lovin Malta.
“But at the same time, this result is not accidental. This is a combination of efforts of the competitors themselves, their parents, coaches, sparring-partners and the entire team.”
The 2023 World Kudo Championship was held in Tokyo, and as the most prestigious tournament in the Martial Art’s calendar, represented an opportunity for athletes from 29 countries to represent their nations and themselves ahead of a vast crowd.
Kudo is a full-contact combat sport which comes “as close to realistic physical conflict as possible” – while minimising the risk of injury. Kudo is a martial art practised with protective clothing, head-guards and gloves – along with strict rules and regulations.
“At the moment, this is the highest point of achievement for the Maltese team – but this is only the beginning. Just at the last World Championship in 2018, the permission to open the Maltese branch was only signed, which opened a year later in 2019″
“At the last Championship, our team was already amongst the strongest teams.”
“For example, in one of the categories, our athletes beat out the Japanese team for prizes.”
Kudo Malta (apply now for a free Kimono – and a potential thorough ass whoopin’) has been around for three years.
Despite COVID’s complications – it has been able to set a high competitive standard at the international level, hold several international tournaments and win many awards at championships in different countries.
The two-day-long competition saw four athletes from Malta qualifying through knockout stages in eighth, quarter and semi-finals, until all four got to their respective finals and were crowned vice-champions.
Another athlete – Nichita Mazurchevici – placed fourth in the Under 16s sub-68 kilogram category – which was one of the “fullest, most-competitive and highly prestigious” categories.
After this excellent result, the Kudo Federation in Malta is excited about the future of their Martial Art in Malta.
“In February next year, Malta has the opportunity to host the European Championship. Last year we had seven national teams at the competition, and next year we plan to double this number.”
“And of course, we will fight for the right to continue to be among the strongest teams in this style of martial arts.”
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