2nd World Senior Championships in WUKO Karate - Valencia And home of paella.

The championship was held in the city of Torrente in Valencia, Spain, on June 20-24.06.2007. The SKC team consisted of nine competitors. It was a very strong and numerous contest.

I won a bronze medal in the individual kumite category for seniors. After winning a few fights, I unfortunately lost in extra time by points to a player from Italy who in the end came second.
KUMITE SENIORS  Kg. + 70 SHOBU IPPON MALE 
1st-GORELASHUILI LEVAN-GEORGIA
2nd-SCUTARI ANGELO-ITALY
3rd-ROMUALDAS DUCHNOVIC-LITHUANIA
3rd-JACEK LIPINSKI-ENGLAND

Despite winning only one medal, it was a very good experience, it was important to everyone on my team. Everyone who took part in the competition should be congratulated, some of the competitors had extensive experience, and others were at such a high-levelled competition for the first time. The level of sports rivalry in Torrente was very high; it required maximum concentration from each competitor. It was a world championship at a very high technical level. 58 federations from 24 countries took part in the WUKO World Championships, with a total of 630 competitors.

Below is a list of federations that participated in the ranking due to their medal achievements. 

Valencia is located in central-eastern Spain and is distinguished by a picturesque location. The city is surrounded on three sides by hills, and to the south by the Mediterranean sea and a long and wide line of sandy beaches, tempting with sunny weather and wonderful villas to rent by the sea and the prospect of spending an amazing holiday. And all this is interspersed with orange trees growing at every step, which are one of the symbols and pride of the entire region.

Valencia is a great combination of contrasts, here the past meets the present; old, historic buildings and modern facilities. The local monuments are real gems of art, which often refer not only to the history of this part of Spain, but also to the fate of the whole country.

Barrio del Carmen district. 
It is one of the most famous districts located in the historical part of the city. This place is loved because of the unique atmosphere that prevails there.    

One of the most famous and largest squares in Valencia is Plaza de la Reina, which can be translated into English as the "Queen's Square" located in the Old Town.

Valencia Cathedral and the Holy Grail. 
Probably everyone has heard about the Holy Grail. This is one of the priceless relics that causes a lot of controversy, while making Valencia famous. It is in the cathedral here that the famous chalice that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper is to be kept.  

Valencia is the home of paella, one of the most famous Spanish dishes. The local version of this dish, however, differs from the paella known from most Spanish cities, because the original version of Valencia dish does not contain any seafood. Vegetables (mainly beans) and all available meats - including chicken and rabbit are added to the rice. It is best to eat paellas where Spaniards eat; they certainly know where to stop for a meal.

Do you know that? 
1. The name Valencia comes from the word "Valentia" which means bravery, courage and strength. It was named according to the Roman practice of recognizing the bravery of former Roman soldiers after the war. 
2. The Port of Valencia is the largest port on the west Mediterranean coast. The port employs over 15,000 people who provide services to over 7,500 ships annually. 
3. Valencia can be hot. The record maximum temperature in this city was 42 degrees Celsius. 
4. Every year in the outskirts of Valencia, and more precisely in Buñol, Tomatina, the festival of throwing tomatoes, is held. 
5. Mercado Central is one of the oldest markets on the Old Continent. 
6. The Valencia Marathon was born on the same day as the London Marathon (March 29, 1981). The marathon has a significant impact on the economy - it generates 3.5 euros for every single euro invested.