Armenian Karate Athletes to Compete in the First WKF Tournament of 2026

From January 9–11, Tbilisi, Georgia, will host the international Karate One – Series A tournament, opening the 2026 competition season of the World Karate Federation (WKF). The Armenian national team will take part in this prestigious event, represented by 10 athletes.

Armenian National Team Roster

Men
Kata — Mikhail Mkhtaryan
Kumite, 60 kg — Avetik Ghazaryan
Kumite, 75 kg — Suren Harutyunyan, Hayk Karyan, Robert Hovhannisyan
Kumite, 84 kg — Gor Nersisyan, Suren Kirakosyan

Women
Kumite, 50 kg — Elena Gasparyan
Kumite, 68 kg — Anita Makyan, Lena Gyulumyan

The tournament will be held at the New Sports Palace in Tbilisi and will mark the first stage of the Karate One – Series A circuit in the new year. These competitions are regarded as one of the key international platforms, allowing athletes to earn WKF ranking points and strengthen their positions in the world rankings.

The event carries special significance as Tbilisi will debut the updated WKF visual identity, which will be used across all Karate One tournaments in 2026.

Record participation is expected, with more than 1,200 athletes from 77 countries registered. Iran will field the largest delegation, while Italy and Turkey will also bring strong teams.

The competitions will take place over three days, with finals and bronze medal bouts held at the end of each competition day. All matches will be streamed live on the official WKF YouTube channel.