TOKYO OLYMPICS

Spain, France and Bulgaria taste gold as karate makes its debut

Spain's Sandra Jaime competes in the Women's Kata Final of the Karate competitions. Photo: Gian Mattia D'alberto/dpa.

The Nomad Today/dpa

06 de August de 2021 (00:03 h.)

Karate is one of four sports making their debut at Tokyo along with surfing, sport climbing and skateboarding

Spain's Sandra Sanchez won the first ever Olympic gold in karate on Thursday when she prevailed in the women's kata final.

With a score of 28.06, the six-time European champion beat double world champion Kiyou Shimizu of Japan.

France's Steven Da Costa (blue) competes against Venezuela's Andres Eduardo Madera Delgado. Photo: Mickael Chavet/dpa.

Steven Da Costa of France took the first karate men's gold, beating Turkey's Eray Samdan 5-0 in the 67-kilogram kumite division final.

Ivet Goranova of Bulgaria then won the women's -55kg kumite gold with a decisive 5-1 victory over favourite Anzhelika Terliuga from Ukraine.

Karate is one of four sports making their debut at Tokyo along with surfing, sport climbing and skateboarding as the International Olympic Committee aims to appeal to a younger audience.