MARYAM BSHARAT WINS WORLD KARATE GOLD IN POLAND

Maryam Bsharat won gold for Palestine in the women’s under-66kg kumite at the World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, on Saturday. She beat Spain’s Noa Lopez Gonzalez 3-1 in the final. Bsharat reached the final after defeating a Japanese opponent in the semi-final. The result gave her a second consecutive world title in the event, following her victory at the previous edition of the championships.

The World Karate Federation currently ranks Bsharat first in the junior women’s under-66kg category. She has also built a record at world and Asian championships and on the Youth League circuit. Her ranking places her at the top of the same junior weight category in which she won gold in Poland. The final against Lopez Gonzalez followed her semi-final win over an opponent from Japan.

Bsharat’s latest title adds another gold medal to Palestine’s record in international karate. Her two successive wins came at separate editions of the world championships. The result in Bielsko-Biała also extends a run of appearances across world and regional competitions. No further competition dates or opponents were identified in the accounts of her victory.