European Master Karate Games, day 2, september 17th kumite competition

Dear friends,
we left, the last time at the beginning of the eliminatory stages of the kumite competition.
If you remember, you had mentioned that I had already spent a lot of nervous energy in the kata competition.
Nowadays, the trend toward specialization is so strong that it is difficult to find athletes who commit themselves to high levels in both fields. There are, but they are less and less. The amount of work to do, both on the physical and technical level is now really heavy, and so many different training programs to prepare them well both, you must also have a considerable amount of time. Not for nothing that I had volunteered in retreat throughout the summer! Despite all the preparation, however, I began to wonder if I had not actually required a bit 'too much from myself.
The organizers had decided to make the kata final after the fighting competition, so at great risk of injury during the race fighting. And I must tell you, the opportunity was not so remote, indeed!
The fact is, however, that I decided to continue the established program. I changed the kimono, wearing one to kumite, and began warming.
I tried to also change the mental attitude of my mind and the way to use my body, because it was going to be completely different from the race of the kata of the morning.
First of all in the morning nobody was pulling any punches or kicks towards my face, but now there were flying like pop-corns.
We were called for the initial greeting of the class so we could all see in face, each other, at last for the first time.
Apart from a couple, I was the smallest of all. I was going to work quite a lot to cancel them the advantage of greater stretch.
The contest so started. Mine was the second fight.
The arbitrator started the macth, and guess what was the first thing that came in my mind, in that very first moment?
"What the hell I'm doing here?"
Let me explain. It was not a form of fear. Absolutely not. Simply, suddenly, I could not see the reason for being there to hit my self with another man. The months of fighting on the beach lost all their meaning and I had to really fight with myself not to stop, raise an arm, thank referees and opponents of the courtesy and simply go home!
What was happening?
I was simply the victim of a strong form of stress on race, namely: stress performance.
I had, therefore, to fight, at least for ten seconds against two opponents: that in front of me and .... myself!
I also consider this part of the magic of the race.
Impact of mixed feelings, emotions at the edge of control,
A strong punch arrived right in my face. That was good because it brought me back with my feet on the ground and I began so to fight. The referees let run so we exchanged quite a few punches.
Then, I placed a good giakuzuki right to the of ribs my opponent, throwing him down.
One point for me.
Wow, I was winning. I managed to take control of the situation. 10 seconds from the end I was still ahead, when, suddenly, I relaxed for a moment and I lowered my arms.
Really good, my opponent caught me right in with a kick to my face, a brilliant mawashi-geri.
Great kick!
The referee asked me how I was.
I shook my face, all right.
Unfortunately, the shot was perfect. Three points for him.
Ended, we shook hands.
Later I fished out, because my opponent had won all the matches, winning the gold medal and the European title .
I placed myself, exhausted but happy with third place, winning my first medal at the European Championship.
Unfortunately the last meeting I injured my left shoulder.
Flashes of pain pierced my articulation. I could barely move it.
It was a few minutes before the kata final ...