The best representatives of karate from Europe were fighting for prizes at the First European Games. Vestnik Kavkaza was told about this by the bronze medal winner in the more-than-68-kg category, Russian athlete Ivanna Zaytseva.
“The best karate wrestlers of Europe performed at the First European Games. These are six winners of the latest European Championships. It was the highest level. This is the Olympics for us, as we have no higher competitions,” she stressed.
Zaytseva also spoke about details of her semifinal fight, in which she was defeated by Masya Martinovic from Croatia 5-2.
“The semifinal was not a great thing. At first I took the lead, but then there was a punch, and the judges decided that it was a three-score punch. I began to lag, and I had to risk. I know my opponent very well; it was my fourth fight against her, and I lost it for the fourth time. We had a draw at the European Championships, but the judges decided that she won. She knew me and I knew her. And one punch changed everything. That’s why I didn’t get to the final, even though I could,” the Russian athlete said.
The bronze medal winner of the European Games shared her emotions about the medal. “It’s adrenalin and euphoria inside me. I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t believe it. It was a long way to the medal. I hope everything is real. I am very happy,” Ivanna Zaytseva concluded.
