On May 8, the second day of the 2025 EKF European Karate Championship took place in Yerevan. Preliminary bouts were held in the men’s 60 kg and 67 kg weight categories, as well as in women's kata, 50 kg, and 55 kg divisions.
Yura Zalyan (60 kg), a member of the Armenian national team, performed successfully and earned the right to fight for the bronze medal. His bronze medal match against a representative of Kosovo will take place on May 11.
Thus, following all preliminary rounds, Armenia will have two karatekas competing for bronze: Yura Zalyan (60 kg) and Gor Nersisyan (84 kg), who secured his spot the previous day.
Finalists after Day 2 (May 8):
Men
60 kg:
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Final: Orges Arifi (Albania) vs. Ahmed Ahmedov (Russia)
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For Bronze: Yura Zalyan (Armenia) vs. Islam Selmani (Kosovo)
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For Bronze: Kenan Siljak (Bosnia & Herzegovina) vs. Balsa Vojinovic (Montenegro)
67 kg:
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Final: Abdurahim Ozer Omer (Turkey) vs. Yurik Ogannisyan (Russia)
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For Bronze: Nenad Dulovic (Montenegro) vs. Alexandr Kapmoale (Moldova)
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For Bronze: Muhammed Ozdemir (Germany) vs. Youness Salmi (France)
Women
Kata:
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Final: Elvetia Tallie (France) vs. Terriana D’Onofrio (Italy)
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For Bronze: Mia Karlsson (Sweden) vs. Dilara Bozan (Turkey)
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For Bronze: Paola Garcia (Spain) vs. Yasmin Jüttner (Germany)
50 kg:
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Final: Erminia Perfetto (Italy) vs. Ema Sgardelli (Croatia)
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For Bronze: Tiphène Bonnarde (France) vs. Shara Hubrich (Germany)
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For Bronze: Aleksandra Mikhailova (Latvia) vs. Yuliia Palashevska (Ukraine)
55 kg:
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Final: Mia Bitsch (Germany) vs. Jennifer Warling (Luxembourg)
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For Bronze: Ivet Goranova (Bulgaria) vs. Nina Kvasnikova (Slovakia)
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For Bronze: Lizi Zviadauri (Georgia) vs. Anna Chernysheva (Russia)
Results of Armenian Karatekas:
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Men, 60 kg: Yura Zalyan (Armenia) defeated a Croatian opponent but lost to Russian Ahmed Ahmedov, who advanced to the final. Zalyan then entered the repechage, defeating athletes from Denmark and Belarus to earn a spot in the bronze medal match.
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Men, 67 kg: Suren Harutyunyan (Armenia) won his first bout against a Scottish opponent but then lost to a French karateka.
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Women, 50 kg: Elena Gasparyan (Armenia) lost in the first round.
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Women, 55 kg: Alisa Khojayan (Armenia) also lost her opening match.