The Lithuanian Kyokushin Karate Championship concluded, with selections for the national team focused on upcoming European Championships in Georgia, despite uncertainty about the participation of top athletes.
The recent Lithuanian Kyokushin Karate Championship concluded on Sunday, and it has outlined the preliminary roster for the national team heading to the European Championships in May in Georgia. Athletes who secured first places in their weight categories will be invited to national training camps in Druskininkai in March and April, where further selection processes will occur. The head coach, who is the only sixth-dan Kyokushin Karate black belt in Lithuania, emphasized the national team will consist of two members per weight category for the European Championship.
Notably, the championship did not feature some of the top Lithuanian karate athletes, including heavyweight Eventas Gužauskas and world champion Brigita Gustaitytė. However, they are expected to be invited to the training camps in Druskininkai, reflecting their established value in the sport. The coach expressed hope that if possible, these leading athletes would compete in Georgia, although there are unconfirmed reports suggesting that both may miss the European Championships.
The preparation for the European Championship is critical as the team aims to evaluate performance through the prism of medals won. The selection of the final 20 athletes for both kumite and kata events who will represent Lithuania in Batumi will be announced following the training sessions, demonstrating the competitive nature of preparation for international contests in the sport of karate.
