Victory in Szolnok

16.04.2008 // Information Department of Novovoronezh NPP

Sportsman from Novovoronezh has won International Kyokushin Karate Open Championship in Szolnok, Hungary

International Kyokushin Karate Open Championship «Különdíj Szolnok 2008» took place in Szolnok, Hungary, on Apr 5 2008.

“Energetik” Club of Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant (“Energetik” Club) was represented by master of sports Yuri Kaliapin (light weight) and candidate master of sports Yuri Odinokikh (middle weight).

Sportsmen from 11 countries – national, European and world champions and medal-winners – took part in the event.

Yuri Kaliapian was the best in the light weight. He had five fights. The fights with the sportsmen from Hungary and Kazakhstan were the hardest. In the final fight Kaliapin was injured. The referee stopped the fight and was going to give the victory to the Kazakh sportsman but Kaliapian said that he was going to continue. As a result, the fight ended in a “draw.” The referee weighed the sportsmen so as to see the difference in their weights. But the difference was not enough for determining the winner. So, the referee decided to count the wooden boards broken by the sportsmen. Kaliapin had broken 15 boards, his rival – 14. So, Kaliapin was proclaimed the winner!

Looking back at the history of karate in Novovoronezh, we would like to note that in 1994 the coach of Kaliapin, sensei, the president of the Federation of Kyokushin Karate of Voronezh Sergey Akatov also won an international event.

In Szolnok the Russian sportsmen won two gold and two bronze medals: Roman Nesterenko from Blagoveschensk won gold in the middle weight.

Szolnok was a preparatory stage for the 4th World Championship 2009 in St.Petersburg.

And Yuri Kaliapin is planning to win it.