JKA Europe Cup 2024

Saturday April 6, 2024 – Ghent/Belgium

 

On Saturday April 6, we as JKA Belgium organized the European JKA Championship (JKA Europe Cup) in Ghent. With last-minute organization, we as a country have put on a top event in just 3 months. 27 countries, more than 300 participants, 1,500 Belgian supporters and a dream team of volunteers were the ingredients to make the sports arena ‘Sport Vlaanderen Ghent’ the epicenter of JKA karate that day.

It was a very successful day in all areas, both organizationally and sportingly, but in addition to the shiajo also for JKA Europe in general.

After the unexpected forfeit of JKA Spain, JKA Europe had to look for a new organizer for the European championship. However, JKA Belgium was prepared to organize this 26^th edition of the JKA Europe Cup within the small time frame that remained, provided that a suitable location could be found.

As soon as it became apparent that the suitable location was available, a strong organizational team was put together under the supervision of a Steering Committee and under the leadership of a project manager. Tasks and responsibilities were divided and everyone got to work not only quickly but also with incredible enthusiasm to make the virtually impossible possible.

The first delegations arrived from Wednesday, April 3. The last delegations arrived on Friday April 5, 2024.

The meeting of the Technical Committee of JKA Europe was on the agenda on Thursday, April 4. They faced a tough task to appoint a suitable successor after the death of Bura Shihan. Sergio Gneo sensei (JKA Belgium) was democratically elected as Technical Director of JKA Europe with a four-year mandate.

On Friday there was a well-packed program: starting with the official registration of the delegations (= collection of all information packages for the participating countries), referee courses (= kata & kumite refreshments), head coach briefing, training for all teams, general meeting with all nations …

In the meantime, the sports arena is being prepared to receive all athletes and their delegations with the necessary bravado the next day. Because around 315 athletes (women & men) from 27 different countries will compete against each other: both individually and per team, both in kata and kumite, both juniors and seniors. Ultimately, 16 European titles are at stake.

On Saturday the first athletes were called at 9:00 am so that they could start the championship immediately. After the lunch break, the official opening ceremony followed, during which all delegations were officially introduced to the public and the accompanying speeches resounded in the sports arena. The first finals and the associated presentations of medals and trophies were scheduled for around 4:00 pm. So there was a very tight timetable to follow in order to conclude the championship like foreseen at 7:00 pm in the evening.

If you would like to take a look at all the results at a glance, click here!

The competition day ended with a sayonara party where all delegations fraternized and where lifelong friendships were forged. Here a completely new JKA family was born!

JKA Belgium looks back on this 26^th edition of the JKA Europe Cup with enormous pride. It was the third time in its history that JKA Belgium was the organizer of this European championship.

This edition was without any discussion a big success: at the shiajo we not only saw very beautiful & sporty competitions, but the basic values ​​of our dojokun were also held in high regard alongside the shiajo. In addition, we can also look back on a particularly successful edition on an organizational level with our heads held high: the delegations were very satisfied, the delegates of JKA Europe were delighted, the audience was very enthusiastic, … and last but not least: the volunteers were tired but very proud that they were able to do this, to cooperate.

We would like to thank everyone for their participation, for their enthusiasm, for their efforts and for their gratitude. Our karate paths will undoubtedly cross again in the future!

Oss,

With sporty regards,

Andy Willaert
President JKA Belgium