W.A.K.O. World Championships 1979
Encyclopedia
W.A.K.O. World Championships 1979 were the second ever world kickboxing
championships hosted by W.A.K.O.
, organized by American
Mike Anderson. They were open to amateur
men only from across the world, with two styles of kickboxing - Full-Contact and Semi-Contact - on offer. This was the championships where the (now) world famous martial artist turned actor Jean-Claude Van Damme
was supposed to have competed – although reports on the event and from participating fighters give no confirmation of Van Damme ever participating. By the end of the championships West Germany
was the strongest nation, Italy
were second, Great Britain
third. The event was held at the Hillsborough Community College
in Tampa, Florida, USA
between November 3 and 4 in 1979.
to over 84 kg/+184.8 lbs
, with all bouts fought under Full-Contact
rules. More detail on Full-Contact's rules-set can be found at the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that the rules have changed since 1979. The medal winners of each division are shown below with notable winners being Tony Palmore who won his second gold medal at a W.A.K.O. world championships and reigning W.A.K.O. European champion and future K-1
world champion Branko Cikatić
picking up a bronze medal. By the end of the event, West Germany
were the strongest nation in Full-Contact, winning two golds and two silvers.
to over 84 kg/+184.8 lbs
. The medal winners of each division are shown below with West Germany
being the top nation in Semi-Contact by the championships end.
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 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...
, organized by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Mike Anderson. They 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 only from across the world, with two styles of kickboxing - Full-Contact and Semi-Contact - on offer. This was the championships where the (now) world famous martial artist turned actor Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
was supposed to have competed – although reports on the event and from participating fighters give no confirmation of Van Damme ever participating. By the end of the championships West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
was the strongest nation, 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...
were second, 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...
third. The event was held at the Hillsborough Community College
Hillsborough Community College
Hillsborough Community College is a two-year community college, located in Hillsborough County, Florida. The college has six campuses located throughout the county. Locations include: Brandon, Dale Mabry, Plant City, Ybor City, MacDill AFB, and South Shore...
in Tampa, Florida, USA
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....
between November 3 and 4 in 1979.
Men's Full-Contact Kickboxing
The Full-Contact category at Tampa had seven 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 84 kg/+184.8 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 all bouts fought under Full-Contact
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....
rules. More detail on Full-Contact's rules-set can be found at the W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that the rules have changed since 1979. The medal winners of each division are shown below with notable winners being Tony Palmore who won his second gold medal at a W.A.K.O. world championships and reigning W.A.K.O. European champion and future 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...
world champion Branko Cikatić
Branko Cikatic
Branko "The Croatian Tiger" Cikatić is a Croatian former heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian born fighter to achieve international success...
picking up a bronze medal. By the end of the event, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
were the strongest nation in Full-Contact, winning two golds and two silvers.
Men's Full-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Howard Brown | Michael Kuhr  |
Jesus Duran  Max Mankowitz  |
| -63 kg | Ali Pehlivan |
Godfrey Butler | Jonny Mirer  Jimmy Barletta  |
| -69 kg | Ferdinand Mack |
Javier Reyes |
Sandry Ravessoud Walter Parlovic  |
| -74 kg | Franz Haller  |
Harold Roth  |
Alfred Tommey Branko Cikatić Branko Cikatic Branko "The Croatian Tiger" Cikatić is a Croatian former heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian born fighter to achieve international success...  |
| -79 kg | Jean-Marc Tonus |
Dieter Herdel |
Benny Hedlund  F. Okkonowiak  |
| -84 kg | Flavio Galessi |
Branko Zgaljardic |
Juan Ponce Gary Sproule |
| +84 kg | Tony Palmore |
Harold Ehmann  |
Mladen Carevic |
Men's Semi-Contact Kickboxing
Semi-Contact returned to the 1979 world championships, having been absent from the 1978 world championships. Semi-Contact differed from Full-Contact in that fights were won by using skill, speed and technique to score points rather than by excessive force - more detail on Semi-Contact rules can be found at the official W.A.K.O. website, although be aware that the rules will have changed since 1979. Like Full-Contact there were seven 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 84 kg/+184.8 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...
. The medal winners of each division are shown below with West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
being the top nation in Semi-Contact by the championships end.
Men's Semi-Contact Kickboxing Medals Table
| -57 kg | Alessandro Ortelli |
Sarhan Salman |
F. Infantone |
| -63 kg | A. Lindemann |
Jim Hakkens |
Thomas Volken |
| -69 kg | Andreas Brannasch |
Patrick Teugels |
Goyvaerts  |
| -74 kg | Weinhold  |
Durovic |
De la Cruz |
| -79 kg | James Cisco |
Ivan Wray | Flavio Galessi |
| -84 kg | Harald Edel |
Walter Meneghini |
Streicher |
| +84 kg | Ray McKenzie | Urich Falk |
Anne Delis |
Overall Medals Standing (Top 5)
| Ranking | Country | Gold  |
Silver  |
Bronze  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
5 | 3 | 0 |
| 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... |
3 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 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... |
2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
2 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 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.... |
1 | 1 | 5 |
See also
- List of WAKO Amateur World Championships
- List of WAKO Amateur European Championships
- List of male kickboxers
- List of kickboxing organizations