Sarajevo hosts World Kata Championships with high organizational praise

The World Kata Championships recently concluded in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, drawing approximately 1,500 participants from over 70 countries when combined with the Veteran and Special Olympics judo events. The tournament, held at the Arena Hotel Hills, received high praise from the International Judo Federation (IJF) for its technical organization.

Japan led the overall standings with five gold medals and one silver. Notable winners included the Japanese pair Yoshinori Sato and Fuminobu Shibazaki in the Kime No Kata discipline, and Ryuji Kabata and Toshiji Odate in Katame-no-kata. Other gold medalists included the German pair Soenke Schillig and Johannes Christoph Kroeger in Itsusu No Kata, and the French duo Claude Jaume and Brice Benard in Kodokan Goshin Jutsu.

The event also featured Special Olympics competitors, with Swiss athletes Nikola Roth and Riccy Rogenmoser, as well as Arlette Schmucki and Jan Wuthrich, securing gold medals in their respective categories.