On November 14–15, the 5th Polish Tsunami Karate Championships were held in Łowicz. More than 100 people took part in the competition, including Bolesławiec resident Sławomir Graff, chairman of the Bolesławiec Tsunami Karate Club.
The karate practitioners competed in seven age categories and eight events:
- full-contact kumite – a full-contact fight in protective equipment, allowing all techniques in standing combat, ground fighting, clinching, the clinch, etc.
- jiyu-kumite – free fighting without protective equipment
- yakusoku-kumite – a task-based fight demonstrating skills
- tsunami kata – a demonstration of set fighting forms against several attackers
- tokui kata – a demonstration of individual fighting forms against several attackers
- team tsunami kata – a team demonstration of synchronized, set fighting forms with interpretation
- makiwara-kumite – a demonstration of fighting techniques using special training equipment
- sumo grappling – “wrestling,” an event held only in the youngest age category.
Sławomir Graff won two gold medals (in the jiyu-kumite and tokui-kata events) and a bronze medal in makiwara-kumite. In jiyu-kumite, the Bolesławiec resident won all his qualifying bouts, defeating reigning European Champion Daniel Bogusz in the final.
In the tokui-kata event, the Bolesławiec karate practitioner presented his own routine using two knives (tokui-morote-tanto-kata). The technique received very high marks from the judges. However, only after a playoff against sensei Bogdan Marcinkowski did Sławomir Graff reach the final, where he defeated Paweł Przybyszewski from Płock.
Additionally, on November 15, Sławomir Graff earned the 3rd dan master rank and the title of “meijin” (from Japanese: “gifted master”).
(information from the Polish Federation of Far Eastern Martial Arts and Sports/ii)