World no. 1 e-kata karateka James De Los Santos extended his winning run to 11 golds for 2021 after clinching the title in the second leg of the Budva Winner Aria Cup, Friday afternoon.
The two-time ISKF world champion narrowly defeated American Alfredo Bustamante just a month ago in the first leg for his then fifth gold of the year.
De Los Santos this time secured a more convincing win past a perennial rival in Switzerland’s Matias Dormont Moreno, 25.8 in Unsu against 24.4 in Anan Dai, in this tournament sponsored by the Municipality of Budva in Montenegro.
The 30-year-old karateka earlier dominated Cornelius Johnsen of Norway, 24.5-23.3, and the last leg’s silver medalist Bustamante, 25.5-24.7. It can be noted that De Los Santos used Gojushiho Dai in both of the first two rounds.
Maharlika Karatedo Kai of the Philippines Inc.’s Fatima A-Isha Hamsain was also impressive after taking two medals, a gold, and a bronze, in the same tournament. The 14-year-old topped the U16 category with a win over Lila Ritz of Switzerland, 24.2-22.3. She also reached the semifinals of the U18 division.
Christina Colonia, also of MKKPI, bagged another silver after reaching the finals of the U18 division against Germany’s Lea Gomolka.
