HISTORY OF KARATE

Karate is a Japanese word that means "empty hand".

In free translation refers to a kind of "art of fighting bare hands."

In some sources, the word karate can find a Japanese word that means DO 'put' or 'lifestyle'.

The road does not mean the path of struggle. That's the path you are traveling to find your inner peace and harmony. To you to seek and find. - Said the great master of Karate Hironori Othsuka.

DO THE KARATE

Although it bares a Japanese name and Japanese terminology used in the system of exercise, the beginning of this sport is linked to India and China. It is believed that the original creator of karate as a complete system of exercise was an Indian priest Bodhidharma, who lived at 5.st.pK, at the invitation of the Chinese emperor, visited his court in northern China. Legend has it that crossing the Himalayas, with his bare hands fighting against wild animals and hostile natives, because his religion forbade carrying weapons.

During his stay in China, Bodhidharma developed a combat system based on imitations of animal movements with great influence of Indian yoga and Chinese dance. Using newly acquired knowledge later helped spread the Shaolin monastery where the monks and local residents have found refuge, fleeing from the constant threat of military commanders. Power came from a new martial arts and spiritual practice has brought confidence and hope. easily the monks did not want to fight, trained as to defend themselves. Throughout the centuries, traders and emigrants passed the various Asian martial arts to new areas. As the centuries rasprostranjivala by China, the arts, through the Chinese priest, arrived at Okinavvu today the southernmost Japanese island in the 17th St. occupied by Japanese troops.

Through the centuries China spread the arts through Chinese priests that arrived on Okinawa, the southernmost Japanese island today, which in the 17th St. occupied by Japanese troops. The occupation on the island forbade the possession of any weapons, and the natives to defend themselves from invaders, were forced to learn an organized martial arts. Okinawai karate today is considered original form of karate. Karate, then still known as IT - DE, passed in noble families in Okinawa from generation to generation, and practiced in isolation.

Thus, karate meet the father of today's modern karate Gichin Funakoshi (1868 -1957.), And it at an early age began to systematicallybe practiced under the famous teachers of that era.

A very early formed his own version of karate, and has introduced many changes in the former system of study and practice of these skills, of which the most significant linear trends, and reduce the number of hand and foot techniques, which have a lower probability of use in combat. His skill is demonstrated in many schools and universities in Okinawa, and soon succeeded in convincing the government to value and need for systematic training of karate in those institutions. Karate became a mandatory part of the education of young people in universities and begins to quickly spread among students and other residents. In the years after the second World War II, many quality instructors go from Japan to the United States and Europe, and karate begins spreading ​​worldwide. In Western countries, karate martial arts from all over the world grows, while experiencing many changes in the physical and spiritual approach to coaching and teaching methods and practice karate techniques.

The development of karate sport leads to the formation of the first national and international alliances and federations, and organizing the first event in the fighting and kata. The first was the European Karate Congress was held on 15 December of 1963. in Paris, to three years later in the same city held the first European Championship with 6 participating countries and 53 contestants. World Karate Federation - WUKO (now WKF) was established in the 1970 which was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1985. The first World Championships were held in Tokvu with 33 participating countries and 178 competitors. Today, the World Karate Federation includes 181 countries from all continents, of which 53 of them in Europe, some of which will visit Zagreb next year at least 46th

HISTORY ACHIEVEMENTS IN EUROPE

In early sixties, karate skills are practiced in Europe in the judo club. The first karateka are taught the Japanese instructors in Europe who lived under the auspices of the Japan Karate Federation (Japan Karate Association).

In France in 1961. first European national (French Karate) was established who was a member of the French Judo Federation (Judo Federation) and the first president was Jacques Delcourt.

First international tournament was held in 1963. in Belgium (Belgium, France, Great Britain).

In France on 15/12/1963. the first European Karate Congress was held with the presence of representatives of seven National Union: Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, France and Spain. The congress decided to contact the European national judo federation within which he had practiced karate. The view was that the unification of karate techniques is impossible, and that the issue of unification of the judicial rules that were different in the national union is to be solved at the next Congress.

Second European Karate Congress was held in Paris on 24.05.1964. , where delegates elected president Jacques Delcourt and a directory composed of Vice-Presidents Brief (Germany), Cherix (Switzerland), Fannoy (Belgium), Secretary Sebban (France) and Assistant Secretary of Goetz (Belgium). The congress was held in judging a course under the guidance of Japanese instructors.

Third European Karate Congress was held in Paris on 21.11.1965. year in which the number of members increased to ten delegates from the inclusion of Yugoslavia, Austria and Portugal. Technical Advisor to the Frenchman Henry Plee chose four Japanese instructors advisers (Kono, Yamashita, Toyama and Suzuki). The new elections held for the elected president Jacques Delcourt and a directory comprised of: 1-Fannoy Vice President (Belgium), 2-Vice President Cherix (Switzerland), Secretary to the Treasurer function Sebban (France ) and Assistant Secretary of Goetz (Belgium).

The Congress adopted the financial plan and judicial rules and it was decided that the first European Championships is to held on 07/05/1966 in Paris.

The first European Champion 1966th was the French team that won the final in Switzerland. In the final individual competition was won Baroux Sauvina (both from France). Championship had plenty of serious injuries.

Rome in 1967. held the first international referee seminar, which lasted a week and which are consistent judicial rules based on pravlima JKA. The seminar participated of Croatian Berislav Jandric and Zarko Modric.

The second European Championship was held 05/05/1967. in London, and the Congress has decided that the judge's second international seminar will be held in Split in 1968.

At an international referee seminar held in Split, the "Cup of the Adriatic" for the international judges have passed Berislav Jandric, Emin Topic and Zarko Modric.

In Paris in 1968 The European Championship was held on the third and 6th Congress EKU.

In London in 1969 The European Championship was held on the fourth and 7th Congress EKU.

Fifth European Championship was held in Hamburg 1970th years and 8th EKU Congress at which the system accepted repassage competition and weight classes were adopted.

That same year the statute was adopted and established the World Karate Union (wku). The first world championship was held in Tokyo on 10.10.1970.

START IN CROATIA

As in most European countries karate started to practice karate in the current judo clubs. The beginnings of karate training were in the judo club "Kata" after its foundation 1957th year. Korean coach Trin Tan Tan was the first to demonstrate the art of karate in Croatia 1960th in the hall of the Academic judo club "Mladost", Zagreb. Several years ago planted in Croatia began holding seminars and PRV Japanese instructors, and Tetsuo Murakami 1964th year, followed by Voshinao Nanbu (1967.) Tatstuo Mochizuki (1969.) Hanshi ChojiroTani (1969th and 1970th) Vashuhiro Suzuki (1971.) tent Hana (1972.) Taiji Kase (1973. ), etc. At the end of 1966th the first karate club KK "Lika" (1974. The Karate club "Polet")was founded. The first Croatian karate clubs in 1967 were combined in the Croatian Karate Committee, whose chairman was Zarko Modric. Three years later he founded the Croatian Karate Association CJI's whose first president was Radomir Potrebica. Karate Association was established in Zagreb in 1972. and the first president was Emin Topic. The first team competition in Croatia was held in 1971. in Ogulin. Individual Croatian Championship was held in 1972 at the Faculty of Physical Education in Zagreb. The first championships and the first competition of women in combat took place in 1972. in the hall of the Military Academy in Ilica in Zagreb. Croatian National Team had its first performance in Zagreb in 1972 against the national team of Austria. The first Croatian team champions were the contestants of karate club "Tempo".

Until independence in Croatia, the Croatian Karate is experiencing a difficult time in which certain lobbies did not allow a major breakthrough, nor big results. Few Croats managed to break onto the podium of federal competition and only one club in the first and second division, but few are able to make through the international scene through the national team of Yugoslavia.

Croatian karate sport was the one of the first which began as soon as of 1991. Croatian karate formed an independent union, and in August alone appeared to open championship of USA. Croatian Karate Union was admitted into the European Karate Union in 1992 at konkresu in the Netherlands (Den Bosch), when the national team officially performed at the European Championships in the city. That same year Congress held in Spain (Grenada) Croatia was admitted into the World Karate Organization (WKF), where he appeared on the official World Championship.

What followed was a struggle for the affirmation of Croatian karate in the world and strengthening the Croatian Karate Organization, which was not easy, considering that for years we had no influence nor excessively high contact at the international level. However, a few medals arrived and the state of Croatian karate was better.

At the beginning of this millennium (from 2000 onwards), we strengthened the international position, began to intensively educate judges and trainers, and under new leadership, the Union developed many small and mid-spread karate clubs throughout Croatia, so that today we have 163 members in the Union with nearly 15 thousand registered participants, and with as many recreational exercisers. But that's not all, in Croatia there are about 150 clubs with over 10 000 students of karate schools, which are due to various obstacles are not qualified for membership in the Alliance but Alliance is working on how to help them in order in their communities create conditions for inclusion in a competitive system. The results are more than excellent, because karate is the most successful Croatian sport with the most medals at the European and world competitions.

CROATIA HARVESTING MEDAL

It started it all with the European cadet bronze Damir Pejic in Paris 1989. Two years in a row Džezimir Muratagić has won the Senior European bronze in Titograd 1989 and Vienna 1990 , and Goran Romic won world senior silver in Mexico in 1990. There comes a time of our independence and the great successes of Enver Idrizi that in the period from 1992 -1995 won one world and two European gold, two world and two European silver and one bronze world. In the same period, Olivera Simic takes the world, and Milica Aljinović Senior European bronze. Successful was Zoran Hok from the cadet and Mladen Vulović that took the Junior European bronze.

Goran Romic with senior European bronze and Lana Susović with world senior silver and Alen Zamlić the Cadet European bronze medal succesfully continued in 1997. Next year the girls (Ines Branilović, Lana Susović, Lea Iskra and Ana Martina Bakic with the team won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Brazil.

In 1999. Croatian passport takes Belgian Junior Lefevre and brought two senior and one junior European gold. That same year, Lana Susović won a European senior bronze, Nikola Dukic European cadet bronze, Kristijan Novak junior world bronze and Lea Iskra senior European bronze medal.

Next year's success opens Nikola Dukic Junior European gold, and at the same competition he is joined by junior bronze Alen Zamlić, Kristijan Novak and Sanja Deroja, while silver cadet brought Quiet Šenjug and Nikola Adžija. Afterwards, the Senior European Junior bronze brings Lefevre, who late in his treasury and Croatia brings world senior gold.

Year 2001. is no less successful than the previous one. At the very beginning Milena Čekunec Danjel Sivrić won the European junior silver, and at the same competition cadets Nicholas Adžija and Nikica Gulin made gold for Croatia, Nenad Vukobrat silver and bronze Šenjug Mirna, while the junior women's kata team won bronze. Junior Lefevre brings another senior European bronze medal, and K. Trojnar World Cadet silver, while the junior team in fights, and women's junior team kata wins world bronze medal.

Following year Mirna Šenjug won the European junior silver, Nikola Dukic junior bronze, and Jasmina Zeda cadet bronze, while the Junior World Synchronized Lefevre brings silver. Female kata team (Šenjug, Lukšec, Grdić) won the European junior silver and senior bronze, while the men's kata team (Novak, väcka, Bok) won a world senior bronze.

Eleven individual medals and three team's mark in 2003. year, until then the most successful in history of Croatian Karate. Jelena Kovacevic takes world junior gold, silver and European Junior Senior European bronze medal and Mirna Šenjug European junior silver and world junior bronze. Petra Narandža wins world junior gold, silver and European senior. Junior Lefevre taken at the European Championships in Bremen, two bronze and one Kristijan Novak. Maja Jankovic won the junior world bronze medal. Female kata team won two bronze medals at the European senior championships, while the men's team kumite (Lefevre, Vucic, an abomination, Sivrić, Dukic, chestnuts, Idrizi) brings the first senior medal, a bronze.

At the start of 2004 we won European junior gold, Danil Domdjoni junior bronze, and John Gorjanc Cadet silver. Dario Svetić and Kristijan Novak won the Senior European bronze, and Alen Zamlić world senior bronze. Junior teams in fighting and kata bring European bronze, and men's and women's kata team of European senior bronze.

Harvest of team medals will mark the year 2005. Boys have become champions of Europe and also won a junior silver, while the junior women's team kata bronze. Seniors in the fighting takes a second consecutive bronze medal in Europe. Junior teams at the World Cup again shine, girls bronze, silver and boys. Rene Pernuš cadet becomes champion of Europe, and Marko Lucic in the same contest the bronze. Petra Narandža won the Senior European gold, silver and European Junior junior world bronze medal. Danil Domdjoni won the junior and senior Goran Lucin European bronze medal. Dijana Sales is a bronze at the junior world championships, and Ana Marija Celan cadet wins world bronze medal.

Next year brings back eleven individual and four team's medals. Jelena Kovacevic and Kristijan Novak brought us the Senior European silver, and Danil Domdjoni and Mirna Šenjug European senior bronze. Marko Lucic became the bronze at the World Championships. Rašidagić Tomislav and Ivan Bebek European junior silver, and bronze Diana Saleš. Alen Šurbek and Marko Lucic won the European Cadet silver, and Rene Pernuš European cadet bronze. Men's and women's junior team in fights wins the bronze medal, a senior kata team in the women's and men's winners of the European bronze.

Mirna Šenjug finally 2007 in Bratislava on the roof of Europe, takes senior gold. At the same competition Alen Zamlić becomes silver, and Danil Domdjoni defend last year's bronze medal. Ivan Bebek won the European junior bronze, and Ivan Ljubic and Matija Horvat European cadet bronze. Samobor duo Maja Lenard and Matija Tomazin become world bronze cadets, while boys and girls in the fighting world junior team take bronze.

Last year was more than fantastic, we have become the third nation in Europe in two European Championships (senior and junior in Tallinn the cadet in Trieste), while the nations of the world are ninth at the World Championships in Tokyo. We listened to the Croatian national anthem as much as five times. While Mirna Šenjug in Tallin reiterated the European gold, and in a team with Julian Popovic and Valerius Vujčić reached almost the same, having met the team silver, Danil Domdjoni won everything to be won. He became European and world champion. To be a complete success was provided by our juniors and, as a rarity in the history of this sport at the same competition became European champions in combat. At the same junior-cadet competition in Trieste, Damir Joseph Bujan and Meadow become bronze European cadet and Goran Bozic won the European junior bronze. Neven Martic won the Senior European bronze in the absolute category, and Ema Anicic within this successful year global senior bronze medal in Tokyo, as a debutante and the absolute category.

This year (2009.) Begins also more than well, with two gold, one silver and three bronze third are the nations of Europe in the Junior-Cadet and U21 Championships in Paris. Damir Bujan a junior gold and Rene Pernuš after the European Cadet gold won the first gold on the first Croatian U21 European Championships. Young Anja Palcic Cadet wins silver and bronze Ivona Tubić junior. Two bronze medals in the U21 competition, went to the Matthew and Tomazini Goricaj.

Icing on the cake - the European Championships in Zagreb.

Petra Volf has become champion of Europe in the 68 kg category, while Mirna Šenjug failed for the third time in a row to win European gold, winning the bronze medal. Young Anamarija Celan has brought joy to another bronze in the category over 68 kg. On the second day of competition, Danil Domdjoni defended his gold medal in the -60 kg category and has become one of our most successful in the history of karate.

Female kata team consisting Mirna Šenjug, Julian Popovic and Valerija Vujicic failed to enter the finals with the defeat from the German team but easily won the bronze medal.