Nepal’s karate star Arika Gurung will be sparring against Sofya Berultseva of Kazakhstan in the final of the 68+kg category event at Karate One Premier League in Leshan, China, on Sunday.

In the World Karate Federation’s Female Kumite 68+kg ranking, Berultseva is the World’s No 1. Meanwhile, Gurung ranks 11th in the world.

It is Gurung’s third participation in a Karate One Premier League event.

Gurung’s first participation in Karate One Premier League was in Rabat in May last year. And she won a bronze in her debut. Now, Gurung is aiming for her first gold in the biggest league in karate.

Termed as the most prestigious league event in the world of karate by the WKF, Karate One Premier League has four events in 2026. The one underway in Leshan is the third. The final event is taking place in Rabat in June.

Gurung participated in the first event of 2026 in Istanbul in January. In what was her second participation in Karate One Premier League, Gurung settled for silver after losing in the final against a familiar opponent.

Berultseva was the one who defeated Gurung in the final and clinched the gold in Istanbul. The two have come face-to-face for the gold in Leshan as well.

Gurung did not participate when the Premier League was in Rome last month. Berultseva had clinched the gold medal there as well.

Berultseva, 25, has six gold, four silver and six bronze medals at Karate One Premier League. But Gurung, 21, aims to start a new reign in the world of the Female 68+kg category by defeating Berultseva, who is a 10-time finalist, in the final, which is scheduled to start at 4:22pm Nepali time on Sunday.

Five wins and into the final

Gurung was one of the 21 athletes competing in the Female 68+kg category in Leshan.

Divided into six groups—three of four each and three of three each—Gurung was placed in Pool 3 alongside Germany’s Johanna Kneer, who is the World’s No 2; Belarus’ Maryia Malakhava, who was participating under the WKF banner; and Montenegro’s Jovana Damjanovic.

Gurung defeated Damjanovic 2-0 in her first match. She had her scores levelled with Malakhava (1-1), but won by Shenshu, an advantage for the first score. She then was the pool winner after defeating Kneer 2-1.

Gurung faced Zala Maria Zibret of Slovenia in the quarterfinal stage and won the bout 8-0 to enter the semi-final stage. She defeated Italy’s Clio Ferracuti 8-3 in the semi-final and booked a seat in the final with the World No 1.

It was Gurung’s consecutive win over Ferracuti, having defeated her 3-1 in the pool stage in Rabat, Morocco, last year.

A silver medallist in the 19th Asian Games in China in 2022, Gurung won silver in the 20th Asian Senior Championship in China and the US Open Karate (Senior) in 2024 as well.

Similarly, Gurung has become one of Nepal’s most accomplished karateka with gold medals at the 10th WSKF Championship in 2023; 16th Asia-Pacific Shitoryu Karate Championship and US Open Karate (U21) in 2024; and Australian Open and Thailand Open Karate Championship in 2025.