List of WAKO Amateur World Championships
Encyclopedia
W.A.K.O.
held its first amateur
world championships in 1978 in West Berlin
, after having previously staged two European championships the two years previously. It followed this with a second world championships a year later in Tampa, Florida
. During the 1980s the world championships were held every other year except for in 1985 when a feud within the W.A.K.O. organization led to two versions of the championships being held on the same date – one in London
, the other in Budapest
.
In the 1990s W.A.K.O. held its world championships intermittently with at least one every other year although in 1993 the organization again had a temporary political dispute which like 1985 meant two championships in one year. Also, the outbreak of the Balkan War resulted in the 1995 world championships being moved to Kiev
and in 1997 to Gdansk
. By the turn of the century the organization began introducing two different world championships every two years - one typically covering forms of kickboxing such as full-contact, semi-contact and musical forms, while the other types such as Thai-boxing
, low-kick kickboxing and later K-1
rules. Of late W.A.K.O. have begun to get involved with the SportAccord World Combat Games, hosting male and female full contact, semi contact and low kick kickboxing competitions at the 2010 event, with the 2009 world championships (both events) being used as qualifiers.
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...
held its first amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
world championships in 1978 in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, after having previously staged two European championships the two years previously. It followed this with a second world championships a year later in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. During the 1980s the world championships were held every other year except for in 1985 when a feud within the W.A.K.O. organization led to two versions of the championships being held on the same date – one in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the other 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...
.
In the 1990s W.A.K.O. held its world championships intermittently with at least one every other year although in 1993 the organization again had a temporary political dispute which like 1985 meant two championships in one year. Also, the outbreak of the Balkan War resulted in the 1995 world championships being moved to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and in 1997 to Gdansk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
. By the turn of the century the organization began introducing two different world championships every two years - one typically covering forms of kickboxing such as full-contact, semi-contact and musical forms, while the other types such as Thai-boxing
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, low-kick kickboxing and later K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
rules. Of late W.A.K.O. have begun to get involved with the SportAccord World Combat Games, hosting male and female full contact, semi contact and low kick kickboxing competitions at the 2010 event, with the 2009 world championships (both events) being used as qualifiers.
List of World Championships
See also
- List of WAKO Amateur European Championships
- List of kickboxers
- List of kickboxing organizations