Etar karate club returns from Bucharest with 16 medals, including six golds

Karate club Etar from Veliko Tarnovo finished the international Bucharest Contact Open tournament with 16 medals. Seven club competitors won six gold, four silver and six bronze medals, according to local outlets Borba and Veliko Tarnovo 24.

In its 23rd edition, the tournament reportedly brought together around 1,000 participants from 60 clubs in 12 countries. Athletes coached by Nikolay Lesichkov competed across several age groups and disciplines.

Among the medallists is Amira Abulibde, who won two kumite titles: girls under 18 in the under-59 kg division and women in the under-61 kg division. Darina Kabakchieva took first place in kata in two children's age groups, while Georgi Markov also won a junior title.

Nikolay Nikolov, Denislav Radev, Maria Valerieva and Mihaela Dimitrova also earned medals. The results were reported on 1–2 November 2026. This is a report about a completed tournament, not an invitation to a forthcoming event.

Sources

Borba newspaper, 1 November 2026.; Veliko Tarnovo 24, 2 November 2026.

Photo: Nguyen Hung / Unsplash — illustrative karate clothing, not taken at the Bucharest tournament.