KUALA LUMPUR: National karate coaching director P. Arivalagan is pleased to see his charges top of the podium in Europe.
S. Prem Kumar, R. Sharmendran and C. Shahmalarani all struck gold in the Finnish Cup in Tampere last week, and they will look to continue their good run in the Turkish Open from Oct 15-17.
Prem Kumar, the 2019 Sea Games champion, beat compatriot Sharmendran 1-0 in the kumite below 75kg final.
Sharmendran, who won a gold at the Hanoi Sea Games in May, still ended up with a gold medal as he later beat Finland's Jeffrey Vink 8-0 in the men's kumite Open.
Another Sea Games champion, C. Shahmalarani, also won gold after stunning Finland's world No 11 Keinanen Titta in sudden death to claim the women's kumite Open title. Both were tied 4-4 at the end of regulation time. Shahmalarani is ranked No. 281 in the world in the Under-55kg.
Siti Nur Azwani Nor Azli contributed two bronze medals in the women's kumite below 61kg and Open categories.
"We sent the four exponents to Europe to expose them to fighting techniques in the Open categories. It's different from the fighting style in Asia," said Arivalagan.