Ilya Karpenko — one of Russia’s strongest tameshiwari specialists and an IKO world tournament medalist

Biography

Ilya Karpenko is a Russian Kyokushin fighter known for his performances at world, European, and Japanese championships, as well as outstanding results in tameshiwari. He began training in karate at the age of eight in Novokuznetsk.

Ilya’s first coach from 1994 to 2002 was Sergei Nikolaevich Soldatov, holder of a 3rd dan black belt. Later, Karpenko trained under Shihan Igor Vladimirovich Shumin (5th dan).

Throughout his career, Ilya competed successfully both in the absolute category and in weight divisions, and became one of Russia’s most recognized tameshiwari specialists.

From an early age, Karpenko stood out for his excellent physical conditioning and high-level striking technique. Already as a young athlete he began performing well at major Russian tournaments.

Over time, Ilya joined the ranks of the country’s strongest fighters and became a member of the Russian national team on the international stage. He became particularly well known for his ability to combine successful bouts with outstanding tameshiwari results.

Throughout his career, Karpenko regularly competed at the major IKO tournaments in Japan, Europe, and the United States.

World Open performances

Ilya Karpenko competed at multiple IKO Absolute World Championships.

His best result was reaching the top 8 at the 10th Absolute World Championship in 2011. At the tournament he lost to two-time world champion Everton Teixeira, and final places 5 through 8 were determined by tameshiwari results.

Karpenko also:

  • 2007 — reached the top 16 at the Absolute World Championship;
  • 2011 — 8th place at the World Open;
  • 2015 — reached the top 16 at the Absolute World Championship;
  • 2019 — reached the top 32 at the Absolute World Championship.

Karpenko’s performances at the World Open made him one of the most recognized Russian fighters of his generation.

Wins and podium finishes

World Championships

  • 2007 — top 16 at the IKO Absolute World Championship;
  • 2011 — 8th place at the IKO Absolute World Championship;
  • 2013 — bronze medalist at the World Championship in the under-90 kg category;
  • 2015 — top 16 at the Absolute World Championship;
  • 2019 — top 32 at the Absolute World Championship.

European Championships

  • 2012 — silver medalist at the European Championship in the under-90 kg category.

Russian Championships

  • 2009 — silver medalist at the Russian Championship under 90 kg;
  • 2010 — bronze medalist at the Absolute Russian Championship;
  • 2011 — Russian champion in the under-90 kg category.

All Japan Open

  • 2008 — reached the top 16 at the Japan Championship;
  • 2012 — 5th place at the Japan Absolute Championship;
  • 2014 — 5th place at the Japan Absolute Championship;
  • 2016 — 4th place at the Japan Weight Championship.

IKO International Tournaments

  • 2008 — winner of the international team tournament;
  • 2015 — silver medalist at the Absolute Americas Championship;
  • 2019 — winner of the Belarus Open Cup;
  • 2019 — Best Technique award at the Belarus Open Cup.

Special awards

Tameshiwari

  • 2009 — Russian tameshiwari champion;
  • 2012 — Japan tameshiwari champion;
  • 2015 — tameshiwari champion at the Absolute Americas Championship;
  • 2018 — Open Baltic Cup tameshiwari winner;
  • 2019 — world tameshiwari champion (28 boards);
  • 2022 — silver medalist at the Russian Tameshiwari Cup.

Records and special awards

  • 2015 — set a world tameshiwari record by breaking 34 boards;
  • 2008 — SuperKarate Awards winner in the «Knockout of the Year» category;
  • 2016 — SuperKarate Awards winner in the «Tameshiwari of the Year» category.

Ilya Karpenko is one of Russia’s most recognized tameshiwari specialists and one of the most successful fighters in Russian Kyokushin of the 2000s-2010s.

A top-8 finish at the Absolute World Championship, World and European Championship medals, numerous international tournament victories, and a world tameshiwari record have made him one of the most prominent figures in Russian IKO Kyokushinkaikan.