With a total of 41 medals – 23 gold medals, nine silver and nine bronze, the Egyptian cadets and youth teams took the Karate Grand Prix held from 23-28 April in the Czech Republic. The delegation was headed by Mustafa Fikri, Egyptian Karate Federation board member, together with eight coaches and 25 athletes. “The players were up to the challenge in spite of their young age and they did their best to show the whole world that Egypt is developing quickly in karate with the guidance of national coaches who exerted their utmost efforts to prepare the athletes for such a challenge,” Fikri said. The Egyptian delegation was warmly received by the members of the Egyptian Embassy in the Czech Republic who accompanied the teams in all their matches. The 23 gold medals were collected in the individual kata by Asmaa Magdi, Taha Tarek and Aya Hesham. In the kumite female competitions, medals were won in the 47kg weight category, Salma Nessim, Israa Nabil in the 48kg weight category, Asmaa Mahmoud, in the 52kg weight category, Sheraz Hesham in 59kg weight category, Noha Hossam + 59kg weight category and the team female kumite team. In the team kata the male teams won the gold medals in the cadet and youth events. In the kumite male competitions, in the 55kg weight category, Seifeddin Ehab, in the 57kg weight category, Amr Hamed, in the 68kg weight category Sameh Ayman, in the + 70kg Taha Tarek, in the 57kg Ali Sayed, in the 60kg weight category Sayed Ali, in the +60kg weight category Momen Ahmed, in the 67kg , Mahmoud Ahmed,in the 76kg weight category, Ahmed Ragab , in the open weight category, Ahmed Ragab, and in the + 76kg weight category, Ali Yaqout. Silver medals went to the female team kata in cadets and youth and female team kumite events in addition to the following kumite players: in the 50kg, Israaa Nabil, in the 48kg, Salma Nasseem , in the 59kg, Nora Ashraf, in the 61kg, Shiraz Hesham and Noha Hossam in the 68kg in addition to Amr Ahmed in the 61kg weight category. The bronze medals went to kata players Nour Mustafa, Ali Mohamed and Youssef Ashraf in addition to the following kumite players: Yara Hazem in the 52kg, Nour Ahsraf in the 54kg, Bassem Essam in the 70kg, Momen Ahmed in the 70kg, Momen Ahmed in the 61kg, Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz in the 67kg and the youth team kumite. Ayman Abdel-Hamid, Egyptian Karate Federation president, said he was very proud “that even our junior and youth cadets have begun to shine on the international level. Such achievements change Egypt's image all over the world and prove that we are still the pioneers as karate was first discovered by the Egyptian pharaohs. “It also reflects the success in the strategic plan the federation as was designed to raise the standard of the athletes and their coaches through giving the athletes a greater chance to participate in international events and gain more experience.”
