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2013/08/08

World Games Kata win: why I think Diaz deserved it ワールドゲームズ2013カリでディアス選手優勝 ー 彼が優勝にふさわしいと思う理由




Lots of talk recently on the recent kata win by Venezuala's Antonio Diaz at the World Games even though he stepped forward in the first moves of his performance with the wrong foot.

Jesse  'Karate by Jesse' has his take on it with also 2 opinions on how the WKF could evolve kata competition, which I then sent him my thoughts on a 3rd option.


July 30, 2013 - By Jesse
WKF wants all styles and schools to be able to compete. However, they can’t possibly force every judge to memorize the exact pattern (along with common variations) of each and every kata in the world. So, this leaves us with two options:
1. Have a few standardized kata that everybody must perform, and all judges can memorize, or…
2. Let it be 100% free. Everybody can join. You can do whatever. And you will only be judged on your power, speed, balance and athletical ability - not memory.
Both options have consequences (as our discussion here undoubtedly proves), and the second option is what the WKF has finally settled on after years of testing the first option (turns out, it was too hard to keep so called “shitei” kata standardized throughout the world). And that’s where we are today!
- See more at: http://www.karatebyjesse.com/antonio-diaz-karate-world-games-kata/#sthash.NzqMBk5o.dpuf

My thoughts:
Hi,
There is a 3rd kata option: style-only divisions within the WKF where athletes are expected to know a certain number of kata (like your option 1) and for each round a style kata is chosen at random for each to perform. The referees would have to be certified for that style.

There are weight divisions for kumite to make competition more fair, so why not for kata styles?
From the national to world level events these style kata divisions could be implemented.

Oh, kata variation should only be a dojo practice thing for reality training, like doing the mirror version so you can defend with the same skills in other directions.
 
Official events should require proper sequences, otherwise the door to variations gets blown wide open and things get ridiculous.

Diaz made a minor mistake with the order of his feet while still continuing in the right direction with a proper kata performance so just a minor error. If the majority of judges thought his kata was better than his opponent, good for him. Athletes make mistakes in all sports all the time and still win, same for kata competition. Had his opponent’s performance been better, he would have won.

An obstacle course requires the athlete to move in certain directions to conquer challenges using the best pre-determined techniques that best complete the course.
If the athlete goes in a different direction, they are not following the obstacle course path that everyone else is, hence they are out of competition. If Diaz had done a mirror version of his kata, even if the best kata ever performed, he would have to be disqualified in my opinion for going around the obstacle course in the wrong direction.

- See more at: http://www.karatebyjesse.com/antonio-diaz-karate-world-games-kata/#sthash.NzqMBk5o.dpuf



Jesse

July 30, 2013
WKF wants all styles and schools to be able to compete. However, they can’t possibly force every judge to memorize the exact pattern (along with common variations) of each and every kata in the world. So, this leaves us with two options:
1. Have a few standardized kata that everybody must perform, and all judges can memorize, or…
2. Let it be 100% free. Everybody can join. You can do whatever. And you will only be judged on your power, speed, balance and athletical ability - not memory.
Both options have consequences (as our discussion here undoubtedly proves), and the second option is what the WKF has finally settled on after years of testing the first option (turns out, it was too hard to keep so called “shitei” kata standardized throughout the world). And that’s where we are today!
- See more at: http://www.karatebyjesse.com/antonio-diaz-karate-world-games-kata/#sthash.NzqMBk5o.dpuf

Jesse

July 30, 2013
WKF wants all styles and schools to be able to compete. However, they can’t possibly force every judge to memorize the exact pattern (along with common variations) of each and every kata in the world. So, this leaves us with two options:
1. Have a few standardized kata that everybody must perform, and all judges can memorize, or…
2. Let it be 100% free. Everybody can join. You can do whatever. And you will only be judged on your power, speed, balance and athletical ability - not memory.
Both options have consequences (as our discussion here undoubtedly proves), and the second option is what the WKF has finally settled on after years of testing the first option (turns out, it was too hard to keep so called “shitei” kata standardized throughout the world). And that’s where we are today!
- See more at: http://www.karatebyjesse.com/antonio-diaz-karate-world-games-kata/#sthash.NzqMBk5o.dpuf