What a great success ! 2016 WAKO Asian Kickboxing Championships K1 Rules were held successesfully from 5th to 8th September 2016 in Cheongju (Korea) under the auspices of 2016 Cheongju World Martial Arts Masterships.
Extraordinary work was done with more than a year collaboration by both Asian Kickboxing Confederation (WAKO ASIA) Organizing Committee headed by Nasser Nassiri, President of WAKO Asia and Vice President of WAKO (IF), with Korean Kickboxing Association (WAKO Korea) leaded by its President Mr. Euywoong Mah, Mr. Sunteak Kong WAKO Asia Executive Board member and WAKO Korea General Secretary and Mr. Euncheon Jeong, Director of WAKO Korea and Chairman of WAKO Asia Ring referee committee which granted to the event an enormous success.
The WAKO Asian Kickboxing Championships K1 Rules were organized during the 3 full days (6 to 8 September) and was broadcasted 5 hours direct by Korean national TV each day.
Several prominent world political and sport figures including Mr. Si-Jong Lee, the Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do Province and the President of World Martial Arts Masterships and Mr. Duck-Soo HANN, the Former Prime Minister of South Korea visited the Kickboxing competition.
WAKO Asia selected Cheongju city as the host for its 2016 Championships in K1 Rules style for various reasons. One of the important reason was Cheongju city was also the host of 2016 WMAM and hence offered the best conditions to host Asian Championships. In addition, the geographical location of Cheongju city, South Korea and the support of the Sport authorities together with local government gave the ease to participating Asian countries to travel South Korea.
On 5th of September, just a day before the competition, the Referee/Judge Seminar was conducted jointly by Mr. Nassiri President of WAKO Asia, Mr. Euncheon Jeong, chairman of Ring Referee committee of WAKO Asia and Mr. Roberto Fragale from Italy followed with the team manger meeting at the athlete’s village with very important participation.
21 members of Asian Kickboxing Confederation registered for this prestigious event but unfortunately, only 16 of them could participate in the event. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Palestine and Turkmenistan could not obtain their entry visa on time due the last minute’s unexpected changes in their own program. The 16 Asian Kickboxing Confederation members competed at Cheongju Asian Championships K1 Rules in 12 weight categories (8 men and 4 women) the results of which will be served as final stage of qualifications for 2017 World Games from Asian Continent.
More than 30 referees, judges including 10 from Korea and more than 50 voluntaries and staffs participated in the competition. All official and Referees/Judges stayed at Hotel Ramada one of the prestigious hotel in Cheongju and all delegation stayed at athlete village in Hotel Seiong Spatel.
WAKO Asia President Nassiri said: “This was the first time that Asian Championships were organized only in one style by Asian Kickboxing Confederation. In fact, the results of this Championships also served as final stage of qualifications for K1 Rules for 2017 World Games, Poland and needed to be communicated before the end of the year.
“As our Asian Confederation is World Anti-Doping Code compliant, at our request with Organizing Committee implemented Anti-Doping regulations. Korean Anti-Doping (KADA) conducted the Anti-doping test for all 12 Gold medalist and this was the first time in history that in WAKO ASIA Championships all first place winner were tested.
“It was a excellent team work which we achieved all together with active collaboration between WAKO Asia Organizing committee, Mr. Sunteak Kong and Mr. Euncheon Jeong in preparing an excellent program and following strict protocol during opening ceremony, break time and award ceremony.
Mr. Kong WAKO Asia Executive Board member and Director of International relation said: “The Championships was at very high level with participation of ranked athletes from all five Asian Zone Countries (West, Central, South, South East and East) Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
“The medalists (1st, 2nd and two 3rd Place) in 12 weight classes received each two medals one for WAKO Asian and the other from 2016 WMAM for their achievement in Asian Championships.
“WAKO ASIA currently working and planning to organize the second part of Asian Championships 2016 in others styles such as Full Contact, Low Kick, Point Fighting, Kick Light and Light Contact latest in first quarter 2017.
The result tables are official results of WAKO Asian Championships 2016 K1 Rules held in Cheongju from 5th to 8th of September, 2016.
Click here for 2016 Asian Championships K1 Rules Pools+ Results