W.A.K.O. European Championships 1996
Encyclopedia
W.A.K.O. European Championships 1996 were the thirteenth European kickboxing
championships hosted by the W.A.K.O.
organization arranged by the Serbia and Montenegro kickboxing president Borislav Pelević
. The event was the first ever to be held in Serbia and Montenegro
and welcomed the country back into the international community after the devastation of the Bosnian War
. It was open to amateur
men and women representing thirty-seven countries in Europe
- more detail on the participating nations is provided in the relevant section below.
There were four styles on offer in Belgrade; Full-Contact, Low-Kick (men only), Semi-Contact and Light-Contact, with no room for Musical Forms. By the end of the championships, Poland
just about shaded Italy
into first place by virtue of more silver medals, while Hungary
came in third. The event was held in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
in October, 1996.
to over 91 kg/+200.2 lbs
, while the women had six weight divisions ranging from 48 kg/105.6 lbs
to over 65 kg/+143 lbs
. Notable gold medalists included Gary "Smiler" Turner
who would go on to win several regional tournaments in K-1, Roman Bugaj
who would later turn to pro boxing (and also won silver at the same event in Light-Contact) and Natascha Ragosina
who would become a legend in women's boxing
. Another notable medalists was Barrington Patterson
who would have some success on the European MMA
circuit, as well as becoming a pro-kickboxing world champion. By the end of the championships, Poland
were the strongest nation in Full-Contact, winning five golds and four bronzes across both the male and female competitions.
to over 91 kg/+200.2 lbs
. Notable winners in this category included Ivan Strugar
who would go on to win multiple European and world kickboxing titles and Cengiz Koç
who would also have some success as an amateur boxer. By the championships end the host nation Serbia and Montenegro
were the strongest country in Low-Kick, winning two golds, one silver and four bronze medals.
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
and the women having five ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
. By the end of the championships Italy
was the most successful nation overall in Semi-Contact, winning four golds, one silver and four bronze medals.
to over 89 kg/+195.8 lbs
while the women had five ranging from 50 kg/110 lbs
to over 65 kg/143 lbs
. There were a couple of notable medalists with kickboxing and taekwon-do champion Tomaž Barada
winning gold, and future E.B.U.
boxing champion Rafał Jackiewicz
gaining a bronze. Poland
were the strongest country in Light-Contact at the end of the championships, winning three golds, six silvers and two bronzes across the male and female events.
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 the Serbia and Montenegro kickboxing president Borislav Pelević
Borislav Pelevic
Borislav Pelević is a Serbian politician. He had been the president of the nationalist Party of Serbian Unity, before it merged into the Serbian Radical Party in December 2007. His old party had a marginal importance in Serbian politics. Pelević was one of the Arkan's Tigers during the war in...
. The event was the first ever to be held in Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
and welcomed the country back into the international community after the devastation of the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
. It was 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 representing thirty-seven countries in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- more detail on the participating nations is provided in the relevant section below.
There were four styles on offer in Belgrade; Full-Contact, Low-Kick (men only), Semi-Contact and Light-Contact, with no room for Musical Forms. By the end of the championships, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
just about shaded Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
into first place by virtue of more silver medals, while 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...
came in third. The event was held in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in October, 1996.
Participating Nations
There were thirty-seven nations from across Europe in attendance at the 1996 W.A.K.O. European Championships in Belgrade:| Armenia Armenia Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia... Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to... Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... Estonia Estonia Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies... France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles... |
Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... 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... Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... 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... Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe... Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east... Latvia Latvia Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden... Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... |
Macedonia Republic of Macedonia Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991... Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... Palestine Palestine Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands.... Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... Republika Srpska Republika Srpska Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina... Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia... Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... Syria Syria Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.... Tajikistan Tajikistan Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east.... Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states... |
Full-Contact
Full-Contact was available for both men and women at Belgrade and involved the participants trying to win the contest either by a point decision or via stoppage using both kicks and punches – more detail on the rules can be found at the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that they may have changed slightly since 1993. The men had twelve weight classes ranging from 51 kg/112.2 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 91 kg/+200.2 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...
, while the women had six weight divisions ranging from 48 kg/105.6 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 gold medalists included Gary "Smiler" Turner
Gary Turner
Gary "Two Horns" Turner is an English professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist who fought in the Cage Rage and K-1 promotions. Turner was the K-1 UK Grand Prix champion in 2003 and 2004...
who would go on to win several regional tournaments in K-1, Roman Bugaj
Roman Bugaj
Roman Bugaj is a Polish heavyweight boxer. Before turning to boxing he was an amateur kickboxer - winning a European title. -Career:He turned professional in 1999...
who would later turn to pro boxing (and also won silver at the same event in Light-Contact) and Natascha Ragosina
Natascha Ragosina
Natalia Yurievna Ragozina , better known as Natascha Ragosina, is an undefeated professional boxer currently ranked as the top female super middleweight in the world. Though born in Kazakhstan and currently residing in Germany, she competes professionally for Russia and is of Russian descent...
who would become a legend in women's boxing
Women's boxing
Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1902. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing...
. Another notable medalists was Barrington Patterson
Barrington Patterson
Barrington Renford Patterson is an English former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. At 18 stones, he competed in the super heavyweight division and was a world IKF Kickboxing Champion...
who would have some success on the European MMA
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
circuit, as well as becoming a pro-kickboxing world champion. By the end of the championships, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
were the strongest nation in Full-Contact, winning five golds and four bronzes across both the male and female competitions.
Men's Full-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| Light Bantamweight -51 kg | Nurzhan Erbusinov  |
Alexey Kutsenko  |
Gabor Aburko  Andrei Ivanov  |
| Bantamweight -54 kg | Mariusz Cieśliński  |
Askar Mozhanov |
Innokenti Makarov Bilal Mahmoud Sliman  |
| Featherweight -57 kg | Fouad Habbani  |
Hidir Erdogan  |
Goran Vuckovic  Maurycy Gojko |
| Lightweight -60 kg | Agadilov Bakhytzhan |
James Dard |
Ahmet Pepic Alexander Lebed |
| Light Welterweight -63.5 kg | Dosaev Gani |
Youssef Latahoui |
Giuseppe Lorusso  Erlan Shiderbaev  |
| Welterweight -67 kg | Arsen Khachatryan  |
Srdjan Elezovic |
Miroslaw Karzinski Árpád Szabó |
| Light Middleweight -71 kg | Robert Nowak |
Gerd Dittrich |
Thomas Kristiansen  Hatzionidis Tasos  |
| Middleweight -75 kg | Halim El Hakimi |
Vladimir Tomkovich  |
Dusan Plecas  Ramin Abtin |
| Light Heavyweight -81 kg | Igor Pilipenko |
Ion Slivestru  |
Christophe Lartizien Robert Zlotkowski |
| Cruiserweight -86 kg | Roman Bugaj Roman Bugaj Roman Bugaj is a Polish heavyweight boxer. Before turning to boxing he was an amateur kickboxer - winning a European title. -Career:He turned professional in 1999... |
Bozidar Dermanovic |
Kostas Athanasopoulos Timur Ioussupov |
| Heavyweight -91 kg | Gary Turner Gary Turner Gary "Two Horns" Turner is an English professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist who fought in the Cage Rage and K-1 promotions. Turner was the K-1 UK Grand Prix champion in 2003 and 2004... |
Frode Holst |
John Latsonas Darko Milasinovic |
| Super Heavyweight +91 kg | Almaz Gismeev |
Roman Kracik  |
Barrington Patterson Barrington Patterson Barrington Renford Patterson is an English former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. At 18 stones, he competed in the super heavyweight division and was a world IKF Kickboxing Champion... Askar Kokhanov  |
Women's Full-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| Bantamweight -48 kg | Marie Laure Niviere |
Sladana Nikolic |
Reka Krempf Francesca Lupo |
| Featherweight -52 kg | Elisabette Legras |
Oksana Ivasiva |
Hülya Şahin Hülya Sahin Hülya Şahin, aka Julia "Sunshine" Sahin, is a Turkish professional female boxer with German passport. She is a former world champion in kick boxing and was world champion in amateur boxing as well. As of September 1, 2007, she is the undefeated WIBF world junior flyweight champion... Michela Barnini |
| Lightweight -56 kg | Iwona Guzowska |
Bea Gulyas |
Silvia Bratina Galyna Guenliyska |
| Middleweight -60 kg | Anna Kasprzqak |
Henriette Birkeland |
Zoulfia Koutdicussova Christien Derugeiro |
| Light Heavyweight -65 kg | Sanja Savcic |
Olga Slavinskaja |
Agnieszka Rylik Margarita Platonova  |
| Heavyweight +65 kg | Natascha Ragosina Natascha Ragosina Natalia Yurievna Ragozina , better known as Natascha Ragosina, is an undefeated professional boxer currently ranked as the top female super middleweight in the world. Though born in Kazakhstan and currently residing in Germany, she competes professionally for Russia and is of Russian descent... |
Cristina Cerpi |
Larisa Berezenko Dragana Ignijatic |
Low-Kick
Low-Kick differs from Full-Contact kickboxing in that it allows kicks below the knee - more detail on Low-Kick rules can be found at the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that there may have been some rule changes since 1996. The style was available to men only and there was twelve weight classes ranging from 51 kg/112.2 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 91 kg/+200.2 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 in this category included Ivan Strugar
Ivan Strugar
Ivan Strugar is a Montenegrin kickboxer. He is a winner of numerous trophies and accolades both in amateur and professional competition, and is one of the most popular sportsmen in Montenegro. He currently fights in WAKO Pro association, out of Ariston gym in Podgorica.-Amateur competition:*2001...
who would go on to win multiple European and world kickboxing titles and Cengiz Koç
Cengiz Koç
Cengiz Koç is a German heavyweight boxer of Turkish descent who won the bronze medal at the 2000 European amateur championships...
who would also have some success as an amateur boxer. By the championships end the host nation Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
were the strongest country in Low-Kick, winning two golds, one silver and four bronze medals.
Men's Low-Kick Kickboxing Medals Table
| Light Bantamweight -51 kg | Elmurat Kalypzhanov |
Shanan Shadmanov  |
Alberto Costa  Otkur Hoodoyarov  |
| Bantamweight -54 kg | Vassili Vassilev |
Mahmud Abdrahmanov |
Saken Aubakirov Dimitar Peschev |
| Featherweight -57 kg | Sebastien Sanchez |
Marat Safin |
Zoltan Nagymihaly Aibek Namazbekov |
| Lightweight -60 kg | Alessio Pastifieri |
Vassili Pavlov |
Vesel Bitic Omar Akl  |
| Light Welterweight -63.5 kg | Djanbulat Amantaev |
Sergej Egorov |
Evgeni Denisov  Nikolai Korenev |
| Welterweight -67 kg | Milos Plecas |
Jan Kacanovskij |
Radonjic Stanislav Csaba Molnár |
| Light Middleweight -71 kg | Ivan Strugar Ivan Strugar Ivan Strugar is a Montenegrin kickboxer. He is a winner of numerous trophies and accolades both in amateur and professional competition, and is one of the most popular sportsmen in Montenegro. He currently fights in WAKO Pro association, out of Ariston gym in Podgorica.-Amateur competition:*2001... |
Bahyt Drozbaev |
Eddy Frair Aleksei Polishuk |
| Middleweight -75 kg | Daniele Petroni |
Csaba Gabnai |
Marius Bructer Milovan Gasic |
| Light Heavyweight -81 kg | Radojica Vakirevic |
Konstantin Shvets |
Serej Kanunnikov Milan Hrsum |
| Cruiserweight -86 kg | Igor Skevel |
Zoran Pekovski  |
Thierry Louison Dimitrj Krotov |
| Heavyweight -91 kg | Ion Georgiu |
Resul Doğan  |
Vesko Cejovic Fanil Durdanov |
| Super Heavyweight +91 kg | Cengiz Koç Cengiz Koç Cengiz Koç is a German heavyweight boxer of Turkish descent who won the bronze medal at the 2000 European amateur championships... |
Mirko Vlahivic |
Arman Ahashev Mouloud Houdbert |
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 1996. Men and women both took part with the men having 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...
and the women having 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...
. By the end of the championships Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
was the most successful nation overall in Semi-Contact, winning four golds, one silver and four bronze medals.
Men's Semi-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Dezső Debreczeni |
Hasan Aslan |
Rafal Kaluzny Giampaolo Calajò |
| -63 kg | Martin Kilgus |
Hasan Cataltas |
Andrei Kassianenko James Boylan |
| -69 kg | Elrik Gundersen |
Danny Harrison | István Tóth Marco Ferrarese |
| -74 kg | Peter Moltner |
Lajos Hugyetz |
Gribl Svenko Miroslav Topic  |
| -79 kg | Peter Edwards | Peter Csikos |
Christian Patterer  Roland Conar |
| -84 kg | Emanuele Bozzolani |
Zoltan Szucs |
Clifton Findley Josef Ebner |
| -89 kg | Zsolt Molnar |
Daough Geogleger | Giuseppe Fracaroli Michael Kruckenhauser |
| +89 kg | Marco Culiersi |
Josef Patterer |
Andreas Knab Nikolai Morozov |
Women's Semi-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -50 kg | Renate Sandland |
Erna Obralic |
Stefani Zimmermann Semra Cetintas |
| -55 kg | Alessandra Catalano |
Jana Moravoova |
Rita Pesuth Gonca Bagci |
| -60 kg | Ann-May Viksund |
Miriam Diller |
Beata Gulyas Marina Pappalardo |
| -65 kg | Ivana Derdic |
Sallie McKirdle | Anja Binder Anita Madsen |
| +65 kg | Line Nilsen |
Elisabetta Degani |
Nicola Corbett Gerlinde Melch |
Light-Contact
More physical than Semi-Contact but less so than Full-Contact with points awarded and fights won on the basis of speed and technique over power, Light-Contact is 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 1996. Similar to Semi-Contact 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...
while the women had 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...
. There were a couple of notable medalists with kickboxing and taekwon-do champion Tomaž Barada
Tomaž Barada
Tomaž Barada is a former Slovenian martial artist in kickboxing and taekwon-do. He gained several titles during his career.He became 6x ITF European Champion, 3x ITF World Champion and 3x King of Taekwon-Do Tokyo....
winning gold, and future E.B.U.
European Boxing Union
The European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
boxing champion Rafał Jackiewicz
Rafał Jackiewicz
Rafał Jackiewicz is a Polish professional boxer who fights in welterweight division. He is former EBU welterweight champion. His professional debut took place on 17 February 2001. Jackiewicz defeated Milan Smetana from Slovakia, winning by points after a four-round bout...
gaining a bronze. Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
were the strongest country in Light-Contact at the end of the championships, winning three golds, six silvers and two bronzes across the male and female events.
Men's Light-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Maurycy Goiko |
Fouad Habanni |
Hidir Erdigan Martin McMahon |
| -63 kg | Tomaž Barada Tomaž Barada Tomaž Barada is a former Slovenian martial artist in kickboxing and taekwon-do. He gained several titles during his career.He became 6x ITF European Champion, 3x ITF World Champion and 3x King of Taekwon-Do Tokyo....  |
Marco Seifert |
Jaroslaw Madziar Rocco Cipriano  |
| -69 kg | István Tóth |
Marco Fuselli |
Rafał Jackiewicz Rafał Jackiewicz Rafał Jackiewicz is a Polish professional boxer who fights in welterweight division. He is former EBU welterweight champion. His professional debut took place on 17 February 2001. Jackiewicz defeated Milan Smetana from Slovakia, winning by points after a four-round bout... Imed Mathlouti |
| -74 kg | Lajos Hugyetz |
Robert Nowak |
Paul Lynch Ivo Bachor |
| -79 kg | Herman Muehlheim |
Robert Zlotkowski |
Alessandro Assiro Dirk Mell |
| -84 kg | Martin Wilkinson | Bartolomeo Bonvino |
Zoltan Szucs Emmanuel Mendy |
| -89 kg | Carlos Caneschi |
Roman Bugaj Roman Bugaj Roman Bugaj is a Polish heavyweight boxer. Before turning to boxing he was an amateur kickboxer - winning a European title. -Career:He turned professional in 1999... |
Anders Gustavsson  Carsten Tipelmann |
| +89 kg | Alex Melcher |
Woijci Szczerbinski |
Michael Krukenhauser David Souchard |
Women's Light-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -50 kg | Daria Chichkina |
Najda Trebse |
Ildiko Kocs Giovanna Neglia |
| -55 kg | Iwona Guzowska |
Elisabeth Legras |
Rita Pesuth Marzia Davide |
| -60 kg | Beata Gulyas |
Anna Kasprzak |
Deline Horlaville Tina Casey |
| -65 kg | Agnieszka Rylik |
Sallie McKirdle | Emanuela Amisani Ivana Derdic |
| +65 kg | Denise Bailey | Katarzyn Balcerzak |
Isabella Orlando Silvia Steinke |
Overall Medals Standing (Top 5)
| Ranking | Country | Gold  |
Silver  |
Bronze  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
8 | 7 | 7 |
| 2 | Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
8 | 4 | 13 |
| 3 | 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... |
5 | 5 | 11 |
| 4 | France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
4 | 4 | 10 |
| 5 | Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
4 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia... |
4 | 3 | 8 |
See also
- List of WAKO Amateur European Championships
- List of WAKO Amateur World Championships
- List of male kickboxers
- List of female kickboxers
- List of kickboxing organizations