Pinoy karateka ends year with hat trick

As his 2020 season comes to a close, he amassed a total of 36 golds, and pending the official count, he is set to end the year as the world’s top e-kata player. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – Filipino karateka James de Los Santos grabbed three more golds as his e-kata campaign for 2020 came to a close.

As announced on Friday, De Los Santos won the Super Final of the Katana Intercontinental League 5, the Golden League Karate eTournament 4, and the E-Karate Grand Winner tourney.

De Los Santos first beat Nejc Sternisa of Slovenia, 25.38-24.18, for the Katana Intercontinental League gold.

He qualified for the final after ruling a five-man semifinal group that included Alfredo Bustamante of the United States, Silvio Cerone-Biagoni of South Africa, Botond Nagy of Hungary, Amund Hillestad of Norway.

He actually repeated over Bustamante, 25.3-24.1, in the final of the Golden League Karate eTournament 4.

Prior to making the final, he got the better again of Hillestad, who got a first-round bye, in the semifinals.

De Los Santos first defeated Elias Ekman of Sweden in the quarterfinals.

He then beat Chrisley Philippart of Belgium, 25.4-23.4, to become the E-Karate Grand Winner.

Taking a first-round farewell, he once again defeated Bustamante in the semifinals to set up the battle against Philippart.

“A Merry Christmas indeed,” he said.

As his 2020 season comes to a close, he amassed a total of 36 golds, and pending the official count, he is set to end the year as the world’s top e-kata player.

“It has been a blast,” he added.