▲ '2023 Riyadh World Combat Games' the first day Karate Kumite competition. [Source from= SportAccord WCG]     ©Seok-mu Mason KWON

On Friday the 20th(local time), the first day of the ‘2023 Riyadh World Combat Games’ began.

The Riyadh WCG, held at King Saud University Arena in Riyadh, the capital city of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, features up to five sports at the same time in one arena.

On the first day (Friday the 20th), three sports were held: △Karate (KSU 1) △Boxing (KSU 2) △Sambo (KSU 5), and on the second day (Saturday the 21st), two sports: △Sumo (KSU 3) △Wushu (KSU 4) were added, and five sports will have competition at the same time.

Here-in-after, the explanation of SportAccord WCG of Karate, Boxing, and Sambo on the first day of the Riyadh WCG has been cited.

▲ '2023 Riyadh World Combat Games' the first day Karate Kata competition. [Source from= SportAccord WCG]     ©Seok-mu Mason KWON

1. Karate (空手道)

Karate comes into Riyadh 2023 WCG hot off its hugely successful debut at ‘Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games,’ with Kumite (組手) and Kata (型) athletes both set to compete for WCG medals.

In Kumite, karatekas (空手家) score points using kicks, punches, strikes, throws, and sweeps. In Kata, competitors, meanwhile, are judged on the power and correctness of their techniques.

▲ '2023 Riyadh World Combat Games' the first day Boxing competition. [Source from= SportAccord WCG]     ©Seok-mu Mason KWON

2. Boxing

Boxing is a form of hand-to-hand combat where one athlete attempts to score points by landing punches to their opponent’s upper body. Matches are determined by judges’ decision or by knockout.

The boxing competition at Riyadh 2023 WCG will be a regional contest featuring some 30 athletes (an even number of men and women) from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Boxers will compete in the following weight categories: Men’s 51kg; Men’s 63.5kg; Men’s 71kg; Men’s 80kg; Men’s +92kg; Women’s 50kg; Women’s 54kg; and Women’s 60kg.

▲ '2023 Riyadh World Combat Games' the first day Sambo competition. [Source from= SportAccord WCG]     ©Seok-mu Mason KWON

3. Sambo (са́мбо)

SAMBO is a martial art and combat sport developed and used by the Soviet Red Army in the early 1920s to improve their hand-to-hand combat abilities. It has grown to become a well-known combat sport around the world. It’s a grappling discipline that also incorporates different types of wrestling and various self-defence tactics.

At Riyadh 2023, sambists will not only compete in men’s and women’s events but also in Mixed Team competitions, which are sure to be a hit with spectators. SAMBO is also one of six sports at Riyadh 2023 that will feature para athletes. The Para-Sambo match also will be held, featuring disabled Sambists.