W.A.K.O. World Championships 1993 (Atlantic City)
Encyclopedia
W.A.K.O. World Championships 1993 in Atlantic City were the joint ninth world kickboxing
championships hosted by the W.A.K.O.
organization arranged by W.A.K.O. USA president Jim Lantrip. As with the 1985 championships the organization had suffered a temporary split due to political differences, and a second event was planned later in the month in Budapest
, although the differences would be resolved in the near future.
The Atlantic City championships were open to amateur
men and women, with thirty-one countries taking part, and styles on offer included Semi-Contact, Light-Contact and Musical Forms. Christine Bannon-Rodrigues, who had made history at the 1991 championships, repeated the feat by winning a further three gold medals and proving the first time was no fluke. By the end of the event, hosts USA
were the strongest nation, with Hungary
second and Germany
third. It was held at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ, USA
over three days - starting on Thursday, 4 November and ending on Saturday, 6 November 1993.
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
, with the under/over 89 kg divisions being newly introduced. The women's competition also expanded, now having five divisions, ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
. As with the last world championships in London, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues was the most notable winner as she repeated her three gold medal feat - winning in Semi-Contact as well in Musical Forms (x2), while Lajos Hugyetz would win two golds (winning in Light-Contact as well), and karate fighter Tony Young
was a further notable winner. By the end of the championships the strongest country in Semi-Contact was the host nation USA
with four golds, two silvers and six bronzes.
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
, and the women five, ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
. Notable winners included Lajos Hugyetz (who also won gold in Semi-Contact) and future pro boxing champion Pelé Reid
, who added to the gold he had won at the last W.A.K.O. Europeans. By the end of the championships Hungary
was by far the most successful nation in Light-Contact, winning six golds, one silver and one bronze medal.
The most notable winner was Christine Bannon-Rodrigues who claimed two gold medals in Soft Styles and Soft Styles with Weapons to add to the gold she won in Semi-Contact to equal the record she had set at the last W.A.K.O. world championships of three gold medals in a single event. By the end of the championships the host nation USA
were the top nation in Musical Forms, winning four golds and three silvers.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
championships hosted by the W.A.K.O.
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
The World Association of Kickboxing Organisations is one the international organization of kickboxing, and the governing body of Amateur kickboxing sport certified by SportAccord...
organization arranged by W.A.K.O. USA president Jim Lantrip. As with the 1985 championships the organization had suffered a temporary split due to political differences, and a second event was planned later in the month in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, although the differences would be resolved in the near future.
The Atlantic City championships were open to amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
men and women, with thirty-one countries taking part, and styles on offer included Semi-Contact, Light-Contact and Musical Forms. Christine Bannon-Rodrigues, who had made history at the 1991 championships, repeated the feat by winning a further three gold medals and proving the first time was no fluke. By the end of the event, hosts USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were the strongest nation, with Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
second and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
third. It was held at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ, USA
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
over three days - starting on Thursday, 4 November and ending on Saturday, 6 November 1993.
Semi-Contact
Semi-Contact is a form of kickboxing in which fights were won by points given due to technique, skill and speed, with physical force limited - more information on Semi-Contact can be found on the W.A.K.O. website, although the rules will have changed since 1993. The men had eight weight divisions ranging from 57 kg/125.4 lbsPound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, with the under/over 89 kg divisions being newly introduced. The women's competition also expanded, now having five divisions, ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
. As with the last world championships in London, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues was the most notable winner as she repeated her three gold medal feat - winning in Semi-Contact as well in Musical Forms (x2), while Lajos Hugyetz would win two golds (winning in Light-Contact as well), and karate fighter Tony Young
Tony Young (martial artist)
Anthony 'Tony' Young is an African American, martial artist, teacher, and practitioner of the Goju Ryu Karate style and founder of the . He is considered by many as the most influential sport karate competitor of the 20th century.- Background :Tony Young began karate at the age of 12 and earned...
was a further notable winner. By the end of the championships the strongest country in Semi-Contact was the host nation USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with four golds, two silvers and six bronzes.
Men's Semi-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Oliver Drexler  |
Bruno Manca  |
Lantos Gyla  Bernd Duffy |
| -63 kg | Tony Young Tony Young (martial artist) Anthony 'Tony' Young is an African American, martial artist, teacher, and practitioner of the Goju Ryu Karate style and founder of the . He is considered by many as the most influential sport karate competitor of the 20th century.- Background :Tony Young began karate at the age of 12 and earned...  |
Maurizio Cuccu |
Martin Kilgus Hardus Laurens  |
| -69 kg | Pedro Xavier  |
Mike Conroy |
Billy Bryce  István Tóth |
| -74 kg | Lajos Hugyetz |
Emanuele Bozzolani |
Franjo Zobic  Chris Rappold |
| -79 kg | Ralf Kunzler |
Stefan Martin  |
Markus Zadra Peter Edwards |
| -84 kg | Alfie Lewis |
Zoltan Szucs |
Jerry Fontanez Volpato Diego |
| -89 kg | Emanuel Bettencourt |
Barnabas Katona |
Steve Babcock Maik Böttcher |
| +89 kg | Alvin Mighty |
Ali Özkan  |
Richard Plowden Volpato Diego |
Women's Semi-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -50 kg | Lori Lantrip-Stanley |
Amanda Quansah |
Tiziana Favaro Rita Pesuth |
| -55 kg | Christine Bannon-Rodrigues |
Miriam Diller |
Ann-May Viksund  Nancy Morneau  |
| -60 kg | Kierston Sims |
Christina Senigalia |
Carla Ribeiro  Manon Desrochers |
| -65 kg | Dawn Roffey |
Michelle Arango |
Tunde Kocsis Eunice Huthard |
| +65 kg | Tiziana Zennaro |
Carylanne Lamb |
Nicola Corbett Sue Brazelton |
Light-Contact
More physical than Semi-Contact but less so than Full-Contact, points were awarded and fights won on the basis of speed and technique over power, and it was seen as a transition stage for fighters who were considering a move from Semi to Full-Contact. More information on Light-Contact rules can be found of the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that the rules may have changed since 1993. As with Semi-Contact, the men and women had new weight divisions, with the men having eight ranging from 57 kg/125.4 lbsPound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, and the women five, ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
. Notable winners included Lajos Hugyetz (who also won gold in Semi-Contact) and future pro boxing champion Pelé Reid
Pelé Reid
Pelé Reid is an English heavyweight boxer. He currently resides in Birmingham, West Midlands and is a personal trainer.Reid is a former WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion and World Kick Boxing Champion....
, who added to the gold he had won at the last W.A.K.O. Europeans. By the end of the championships Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
was by far the most successful nation in Light-Contact, winning six golds, one silver and one bronze medal.
Men's Light-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Lantos Gyula |
Piotr Siegoczynski  |
Spanu Gianpaolo Gabriel Damm |
| -63 kg | Jorge Coelho |
Chad Barron |
Joachim Wage-Mons  Silvano Cosentino |
| -69 kg | István Tóth |
Sergei Zhukov  |
Piotr Bartnicki Ottavio Panunzio |
| -74 kg | Lajos Hugyetz |
Michael Wübke |
Haci Avcioglu Dimitri Smirnov |
| -79 kg | Herman Muhlheim |
Bernd Reichenbach |
Piotr Panczuk Ali Chehadeh  |
| -84 kg | Zoltan Szucs |
Stefan Dietrich |
Martin Cantin Bartolomeo Bonvino |
| -89 kg | Jean-Marc Koumba |
Victor Chicko  |
Abundio Munoz Nuno Souto |
| +89 kg | Pelé Reid Pelé Reid Pelé Reid is an English heavyweight boxer. He currently resides in Birmingham, West Midlands and is a personal trainer.Reid is a former WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion and World Kick Boxing Champion.... |
William Eves |
Mladen Paylin  Sascha Beganovic |
Women's Light-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -50 kg | Rita Pesuth |
Giovanna Neglia |
Shelly Taylor Amanda Quansah |
| -55 kg | Iwona Buzowska |
Lorraine Cotter | Marianna Hegyi Ann-May Viksund |
| -60 kg | Gaby Bada |
Karoline Sutter |
Ulrike Wörz Linda Dice |
| -65 kg | Birgid Sasse |
Tunde Kocsis |
Justina Hall Marta Kickner |
| +65 kg | Christina Cerpi |
Lisa Crosby |
Doris Aboagye Claudia Schregele |
Forms
Musical Forms is a non-physical competition which sees the contestants fighting against imaginary foes using Martial Arts techniques - more information can be accessed on the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that the rules may have changed since 1993. The men and women were allowed to participate in four different styles explained below:- Hard Styles – coming from KarateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and TaekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. - Soft Styles – coming from Kung Fu and Wu-Sha.
- Hard Styles with Weapons – using weapons such as KamaKama (weapon)The is a traditional Filipino and Japanese farming implement similar to a small scythe used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon...
, SaiSai (weapon)The sai is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon. The basic form of the weapon is that of a pointed, dagger-shaped metal truncheon, with two curved prongs called yoku projecting from the handle...
, TonfaTonfaThe tonfa , also known as tong fa or tuifa, is an Okinawan weapon. It is a stick with a handle, and is about 15-20 inches long. It was traditionally made from red oak and wielded in pairs...
, NunchakuNunchakuis a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
, BōBo-People:*Bo , name origin, plus people with the name*Bo , name origin, plus people with the surname**Bo , Chinese family names*Bo people , extinct minority population in Southern China famous for hanging coffins...
, KatanaKatanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
. - Soft Styles with Weapons - using weapons such as NaginataNaginataThe naginata is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata were also used by ashigaru and sōhei .-Description:A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved...
, NunchakuNunchakuis a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
, Tai Chi Chuan Sword, Whip Chain.
The most notable winner was Christine Bannon-Rodrigues who claimed two gold medals in Soft Styles and Soft Styles with Weapons to add to the gold she won in Semi-Contact to equal the record she had set at the last W.A.K.O. world championships of three gold medals in a single event. By the end of the championships the host nation USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were the top nation in Musical Forms, winning four golds and three silvers.
Men's Musical Forms Medals Table
| Hard Styles | Dominic Adam |
Gabe Reynaga |
Pedro Xavier |
| Soft Styles | Richard Brandon |
Earl Blijd  |
Emanuel Bettencourt |
| Hard Styles with Weapons | Alan Belisle |
Werner Stark |
Pedro Xavier |
| Soft Styles with Weapons | Richard Brandon |
Sylvester Enmgelhardt |
Anthony Spatola |
Women's Musical Forms Medals Table
| Hard Styles | Patricia Lamoureux |
Stacy Knight |
Karoline Sutter |
| Soft Styles | Christine Bannon-Rodrigues |
Natali Bordijan |
Tatjana Anjenko |
| Hard Styles with Weapons | Manon Desrochers |
Michelle Arrango |
No bronze medallist recorded |
| Soft Styles with Weapons | Christine Bannon-Rodrigues |
Natali Bordijan |
Tatjana Anjenko |
Overall Medals Standing (Top 5)
| Ranking | Country | Gold  |
Silver  |
Bronze  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
8 | 8 | 10 |
| 2 | Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... |
7 | 3 | 5 |
| 3 | Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
5 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
5 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
3 | 2 | 4 |
See also
- List of WAKO Amateur World Championships
- List of WAKO Amateur European Championships
- List of male kickboxers
- List of female kickboxers
- List of kickboxing organizations