Young karatekas Guilherme Salgueiro and José Pinto, representing the Escola de Karaté Wado Joaquim Salgueiro in Castelo Branco, achieved two podiums at the 14th edition of the Open Turin Cup International Karate, held on Saturday in Leinì, on the outskirts of Turin, Italy. This competition is considered one of the most prestigious events in the Italian karate circuit, a country with great European tradition in martial arts.
In the Cadet Kumite category under 63 kilograms, Guilherme Salgueiro delivered a remarkable performance throughout the tournament, scoring 19 points in his favor and conceding only three to his opponents. In the final, the match against an Italian athlete ended with a three-point tie on the scoreboard, but the victory was awarded to the home competitor under the regulatory advantage rule, securing the silver medal for the young athlete from Castelo Branco.
In the Cadet Kumite category under 70 kilograms, José Pinto completed a campaign of great tactical solidity, overcoming several elimination rounds to secure the bronze medal. With these two results, the Beira Baixa delegation confirmed the competitiveness of the training from Castelo Branco against delegations of high technical level.
Upon returning from Turin, both athletes publicly dedicated their trophies to the Junta de Freguesia of Castelo Branco and its president, José Pires, for the support provided for travel and sporting activities. The Associação de Karaté Wado de Castelo Branco already plans new international competitions during the current month, maintaining its commitment to exposing its young talents to competitions beyond the country's borders.
