Two Spanish competitors earned surprise final places at the Karate 1-Series A in Guadalajara ©WKF

Spain's Samy Ennkhaili Anquod and Laura Palacio delighted the home crowd at the Polideportivo Multiusos sports hall as they earned surprise final places in the Karate 1-Series A in Guadalajara.

Anquod, 20, ensured a medal in what was only his second senior competition as he defeated Japan’s Masamichi Funahasi to earn a final meeting with Turkey’s Muhammet Ali Yilmaz in the male kumite under 67kg category.

Palacio made it to the title-deciding bouts in female kumite over 68kg. It was the first time the 2014 World Championships bronze medallist had reached the last day of competition since 2016.

The 30-year-old claimed a narrow victory over Ukraine’s Anastasiya Stepashko to qualify for the final.

Promising karateka Valtteri Keikanen of Finland will be on the other side of the tatami tomorrow in the first event of this year's World Karate Federation series.

The tournament followed the form book however in the case of Grand Winner Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine and Karate Star Douglas Brose of Brazil.

Horuna was one of the few front-runners who managed to reach the finals.

He demonstrated characteristic endurance in he male kumite under 75kg, where he led the pool with four victories after taking no less than 22 points and allowing only five points against him.

The winner of the 2017 Karate 1-Premier League Paris edged past Turkey’s Necati Pinarbasi 2-1 to reach the final,

The Polideportivo Multiusos sports hall in Guadalajara will witness a dramatic day of finals tomorrow in the opening Karate 1-Series A event of the season, with two local karateka contesting gold ©WKF
The Polideportivo Multiusos sports hall in Guadalajara will witness a dramatic day of finals tomorrow in the opening Karate 1-Series A event of the season, with two local karateka contesting gold ©WKF

There he is due to meet Chile’s Matias Rodriguez Fuentes who surprised with his qualification to his first final in major international competition.

Brose also showed top form and dominated the male kumite under 60kg category.

After claiming the silver medal at the Karate 1-Premier League in Paris, the Brazilian continued showcasing a great level of efficiency on the tatami.

The two-time world champion won five bouts with a total tally of 6-1 to be in his fourth consecutive final, where he faces Michael Dasoul of Belgium.

Miho Miyahara was another favourite to succeed in Guadalajara.

After her victory in Paris less than two weeks ago, the Japanese karateka prevailed in the female kumite under 50kg and claimed a spot in the final following her outstanding demonstration of offensive karate in the semi-final, where she advanced by 8-1 past Greece’s Eirini-Christina Kavakpoulou.

On the other side of the tatami will meet Turkey’s Busra Tosun.

Turkey’s Tuba Yakan will contest gold with Jennifer Warling of Luxembourg in female kumite under 55kg, while her team-mate Merve Coban will meet Karina Diaz of Dominican Republic in the female kumite under 61kg.