Yubileyniy Sport Complex was perfectly set up with two rings, spectacular backdrops, all complemented by ethnic musicians from Thailand throughout 44 bouts. A total of 39 countries from 5 continents qualified through the World Championships, the Continental Championships, the Asian Indoor Games and other events to be part of the SportAccord World Combat Games in St. Petersburg.
In the 51 kg female division Oksana Kizhnerova (Russia), the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games Champion Fatima Pinto (Norway), the Australian Champion Kristan Armstrong and Thailand’s fighter Ruchira Wongsriwo all qualified for the semi-finals, which are scheduled for tomorrow, 21st October, 2013.
In the 54 kg female division the IFMA World Champion Ashley Nichols (Canada), the Asian Champion Ratchadaporn Wihantamma (Thailand), the 2010 WCG Champion Milja Heino (Finland) and the Russian Champion Natalia Dyachkova, went through to the semi-final.
In the heaviest female weight category at this event, the 60 kg division – Anastasia Sharmonova from Ukraine, Alfiya Ishtryakova from Russia, Pimnipa Tanawatpipat from Thailand, Valentina Shevchenko from Peru had the best over their opponents and went through to the 2013 World Combat Games’ semi-finals.
In the male competition, 54 kg weight category, Preecha Wongsa from Thailand, Oleksandr Prokuda from Ukraine, Yoon Deokjae from South Korea, Arslan Bagunov from Russia made it to the semi-finals.
57 kg male – Alexandr Abramov (Russia), Daniiar Kashkaraev (Kyrgyztan), Sapmanee Ruthaiphan (Thailand), Kostiantyn Trishyn (Ukraine) – qualified for the semi-finals.
63 kg male – European Champion Igor Liubchenko from Ukraine, Dmitry Varats from Belarus, Vahid Shahbazi from Iran, and Thai Superstar, Asian Champion, Manop Srirupi – are through to the next round.
67 kg male – Zhanserik Amirzhanov from Kazakhstan, World Champion Andrei Kulebin from Russian Federation, Sergii Kuliaba from Ukraine, Supachai Pansuvan from Thailand.
The 71 kg male division was the division of the Superstars with Zaynalabid Magomedov from Russia, Masoud Minaei from Iran, Vitaly Hurkou from Belarus, who sent Thai super star home, and Ilya Grad from Israel qualified to the semi-finals.
75 kg – World Champion Alex Harris from Sweden, Russian Champion Konstantin Khuzin from Ukraine, Thiago Teixeira from Brasil – made it to the semi finals.
85 kg division – European Champion Dmitry Valent from Belarus, Oceania Champion Kim Olsen from Australia, World Champion Artem Levin from the Russian Federation and Kada Bouamama from France.
In the final fights of the evening, the big boys – heavy weight – Emilio Barone (Italy), Ibrahim Giydirir (Turkey), and Thomas Alizier (France) are looking forward to fight each other in the upcoming round. The main fight of the day saw four times World Champion Dzianis Hancharonak from Belarus losing against the European Champion Artem Vakhitov from the Russian Federation.
Great entertainment, fantastic fights, all the winners are preparing themselves for the semi finals with 22 fights to decide which countries will be represented in the finals.
