Weekly WKF Update 24 August 2025
This week’s action came from the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, where seven new junior champions were crowned across three days of tactical, hard-fought kumite. Finals were often decided by a single point or by judges’ decisions, underlining the increasing competitive depth across the Americas. Strong performances came from Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Argentina — a clear sign karate is rising within multi-sport events. 🥋
Executive summary
Seven new junior Pan American champions emerged over three intense days of competition, demonstrating the depth and balance of the region’s young talent. Many bouts were tight and tactical, reflecting a growing emphasis on strategy as well as technique.
The female categories provided particularly close contests. Several finals were decided by one point or by decision, showing how evenly matched the contenders have become and how crucial every exchange is at this level.
Karate’s profile within multi-sport events continues to rise. The quality of the junior competition in Asunción highlights the sport’s strength and its appeal to organisers and spectators alike.
Standout nations this week included Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Argentina, each producing medal-winning performances and signalling strong development pathways in their federations.
Junior Pan American Games — Asunción highlights
The junior kumite competition in Asunción delivered tactical battles and a handful of decisive finishes. Below are the day-by-day highlights and links to the full reports.
Day One: Setting the pace
On the opening day Jahaira Manrique of Ecuador claimed the female +68kg title with a narrow 1–0 victory, showing calm defence and a well-timed scoring technique to edge a tight final. Elysia Hernandez of Puerto Rico impressed in the female −68kg division, combining speed and control to progress through a stacked bracket.
Bronze medals were shared among a number of nations, including Chile and the United States, underscoring the competitive breadth across the continent. For the full day one report, read more on the WKF site: Junior Pan American Games — Day One.
Day Two: Four new champions emerge
Day two produced four champions and some emphatic performances. Mexico’s Ana Herrera dominated the female −61kg final with a 6–1 win, combining offence and ring control to keep opponents on the back foot. Canada’s Maria Ouyahia took the −55kg crown after a 5–5 result went to the judges’ decision, illustrating how technical accuracy can swing close fights.
In the men’s −75kg category, Venezuela’s Jesus Castro edged a tight 3–2 victory, executing precise timing in the closing stages to secure gold. The day highlighted both decisive scoring and razor-close outcomes decided by strategy and composure. Read the full day two coverage here: Junior Pan American Games — Day Two.
Final Day: Drama and determination
The final day delivered drama and determination in equal measure. Joysi Tinoco of Nicaragua captured the female −50kg title with a narrow 2–1 win, turning a defensive battle into a golden moment with smart timing. Argentina’s Juan Gallardo closed the event with a strong men’s kumite victory, capping a week of high-quality junior competition.
These finals emphasised the mental toughness of the athletes as much as their physical skills — a promising sign for the senior ranks to come. Full event wrap-up is available here: Junior Pan American Games — Final Day.
What this means going forward
The tight scorelines and frequent decisions suggest that junior karate in the Americas is evolving into a more strategic, technically refined game. National programmes that invest in tactical training and competition experience will reap rewards as these juniors move up the ranks.
Expect to see many of these names transition to senior events in the coming years. Their performances in Asunción will be a useful benchmark for selectors and coaches looking ahead to continental and global competitions.
Closing note
Asunción delivered a compact, high-quality showcase of junior talent. The week reinforced karate’s growing status in multi-sport events and offered plenty of promising talent to watch. We’ll keep tracking these athletes as they progress — the next generation is already making its mark. 🏆