Is the No. 1 world ranking already in the bag for online karate sensation James De los Santos?
It is no secret that De los Santos wants to end the year on top of the e-kata male senior’s category, but he said he is focused on winning more gold medals in his remaining events.
“I have six tournaments left for this year… in God’s will. I’ll just do my best,” said the 30-year-old De los Santos, who bagged his 30th gold medal late last week when he ruled the third leg of the Champions Trophy World Series.
De Los Santos, a former national team member, currently has 13,745 points in the current ranking of the e-tournament for male senior’s category of the World Karate Federation (WKF).
At second is Eduardo Garcia with 8,890 points, the athlete from Portugal who was on top from April to early October until De los Santos took over and has remained as No. 1 ranked in e-kata – something the later hopes to maintain until the end of the year.
Currently at third is Matias Moreno Domont of Switzerland (6,990), followed by Silvio Cerone-Biogioni of South Africa (6,225) and Nejc Sternisa of Slovenia (4,895).
Completing the top 10 are American Alfredo Bustamante (4,495), Hugh Connolly of Ireland (3,405), Murilo Alves of Brazil (3,385), Angel Sanchez of Bolivia (3,075) and Leonardo Birra of Italy (2,960).
De los Santos defeated Domont 24.6-24.1 in the final of the 3rd Champions Trophy World Series last week.
Prior to that, he won three gold medals in one day as he ruled the Rome International ENDAS Karate Cup, captured his second Euro Grand Prix, and capped the day by taking his third straight E-Karate Games.
He won against Bustamante in the Rome International ENDAS Karate Cup 25.1-25, edged Domont in the 2nd Euro Grand Prix and downed Cerone-Biogioni in the 3rd E-Karate Games.
So far, he has won 11 tournaments this month, which include the 4th Katana Intercontinental League, the Golden League, the Athletes E-Tournament Cash Award 2, the NOX Dojo Markham City Open and the Okinawa World Series 2, and the 3rd leg of the 2020 Venice Cup.