site.btaBulgarian Ivet Goranova Makes It to Final of 2023 World Karate Championships

At the World Karate Championships in Budapest on Wednesday, Olympic champion Ivet Goranova achieved five consecutive victories, including one over her biggest rival, Anzhelika Terliuga (Ukraine) in a semi-final bout, and qualified for the final.

In the 55kg kumite category, Goranova won in a dramatic 6-4 against Terliuga in a repeat of the final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo two years ago. The match was outstanding in every respect. 

"It was the longest and most interesting match of the championships. That was the only bout on all tatami and everybody was watching. It was very dramatic, but Ivet showed great character and won," national team coach Borislav Ivanov told BTA.

In the final on Saturday, Goranova will meet Turkiye's Tuba Yaken, a four-time European team and individual champion.

The other Bulgarian karate fighters have finished their participation.