The final matches and awards ceremonies of the Pancretan Karate Cup 2025 were held on Sunday May 18, at the Ta Dyo Aorakia Heraklion Arena. The event brought together more than 400 athletes from 25 teams, competing in Kata and Kumite disciplines. Teams and individual competitors showcased their skills and expertise during the dynamic, two-day karate competition.
The amalgamated Shotokan Academy of Heraklion won 116 medals in the team competition, AES Aeolos Shito Ryu Club took second place with 90 medals, including 36 Gold, while third place went to the Pancretan Martial Arts Athletic Association, which won 34 Gold, 29 Silver, and 34 Bronze medals.
The final medal count is available here via Sportdata.
There were so many standout performances during the two-day event. During the competitions for younger athletes on the first day, a 12-year-old Okan Kala won gold in both Kata and Kumite.
I asked the talented athlete about his experiences during the cup, to which he replied: “Playing with the other kids you do not know, and making new friends is a big part of the experience. Of course, the pride you feel when you win is another part. But being a part of something bigger and supporting your teammates and other kids may be the biggest reward of all.”
Other standout performances at the competitions included gold medal performances on Day 2 in Kata and Kumite by Alexandra Kostalaki and Katarina Kapna’s Kumite and Kata matches.
European female Kumite champion Kyriaki Kydonaki was also present at the colourful Heraklion event. Para-karate athletes participated in a demonstration match for the first time at the perennial event, eliciting deep emotional responses from spectators, athletes, and officials.
The Pancretan Karate Cup 2025 was organised by the Hellenic Karate Federation in collaboration with local representatives Sensei Georgios Soultatos of Aeolos Shito Ryu Karate Hapkido, Nikos Karaiskakis of the Pancretan Martial Arts Athletic Association, and Dimitris Bokas of both the Heraklion Sports Center and Heraklion Sports Center Athlodrasi.
