# World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships

The World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships, also knows as World Karate Championship Junior are the highest level of competition for karate for U21 athletes organized by the World Karate Federation (WKF). Initiated in 1996 held in Johannesburg, South Africa, the competition is held in a different city every two years.

## Age divisions

Cadets 14-16 / Juniors 16-18 / Espoirs 18-21 (Since 2009)

## Weight divisions

The weight classification in this competition is divided into three categories, which are:
| | Female | Female | Female | Female | Female | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male |
| Cadet | -47kg | -54kg | 54+kg | - | - | -52kg | -57kg | -63kg | - | - |
| Junior | -48kg | -53kg | -59kg | 59+kg | - | -55kg | -61kg | -68kg | -76kg | 76+kg |
| U21 | -50kg | -55kg | -61kg | -68kg | 68+kg | -60kg | -67kg | -75kg | -84kg | 84+kg |

## Editions

Source:
8th WORLD CADET & JUNIOR KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 3rd UNDER 21 CUP - 2013
1996 Unofficial
| Edition | Year | Host City | Host Country | Events |
| Cadet and Junior World Championship ||||||
| 0 | 1996 | Johannesburg | South Africa | |
| 1 | 1999 | Sofia | Bulgaria | |
| 2 | 2001 | Athens | Greece | |
| 3 | 2003 | Marseille | France | |
| 4 | 2005 | Limassol | Cyprus | |
| 5 | 2007 | Istanbul | Turkey | |
| Cadet and Junior and U21 (Espoirs) World Championship ||||||
| 6 | 2009 | Rabat | Morocco | |
| 7 | 2011 | Malacca | Malaysia | |
| 8 | 2013 | Guadalajara | Spain | |
| 9 | 2015 | Jakarta | Indonesia | |
| 10 | 2017 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Spain | |
| 11 | 2019 | Santiago | Chile | 35 |
| 12 | 2022 | Konya | Turkey | 35 |
| 13 | 2024 | Venice | Italy | 35 |

## All-time medal table

The following reflects the all-time medal counts as of the 2024 World Cadet, Junior and U21 Karate Championships:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Japan | 74 | 18 | 33 | 125 |
| 2 | Egypt | 53 | 31 | 56 | 140 |
| 3 | France | 39 | 35 | 75 | 149 |
| 4 | Turkey | 39 | 34 | 48 | 121 |
| 5 | Iran | 26 | 13 | 33 | 72 |
| 6 | Italy | 22 | 25 | 54 | 101 |
| 7 | Spain | 18 | 26 | 43 | 87 |
| 8 | Kazakhstan | 8 | 3 | 13 | 24 |
| 9 | Croatia | 7 | 5 | 26 | 38 |
| 10 | Algeria | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 |
| 11 | Germany | 5 | 15 | 29 | 49 |
| 12 | Russia | 5 | 10 | 20 | 35 |
| 13 | Morocco | 5 | 8 | 17 | 30 |
| 14 | Greece | 5 | 5 | 8 | 18 |
| 15 | England | 5 | 3 | 13 | 21 |
| 16 | Montenegro | 5 | 1 | 9 | 15 |
| 17 | Azerbaijan | 4 | 9 | 14 | 27 |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia | 4 | 7 | 5 | 16 |
| 19 | Jordan | 4 | 6 | 8 | 18 |
| 20 | Indonesia | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 21 | Serbia | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
| 22 | Hungary | 4 | 3 | 14 | 21 |
| 23 | United States | 3 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
| 24 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 | 6 | 11 | 20 |
| 25 | Ukraine | 3 | 4 | 14 | 21 |
| 26 | Brazil | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 |
| 27 | Tunisia | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
| 28 | Netherlands | 2 | 2 | 12 | 16 |
| 29 | Mexico | 2 | 1 | 9 | 12 |
| 30 | Sweden | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 31 | Venezuela | 1 | 8 | 10 | 19 |
| 32 | Slovakia | 1 | 7 | 16 | 24 |
| 33 | Vietnam | 1 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| 34 | Austria | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
| 35 | Serbia and Montenegro | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 36 | Belgium | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| 37 | Denmark | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| 38 | Chile | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 39 | Kuwait | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| 40 | Poland | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 41 | Belarus | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 |
| 42 | Peru | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 43 | Canada | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 43 | Estonia | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 45 | Senegal | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 46 | Thailand | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 46 | Yugoslavia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 48 | China | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 48 | Luxembourg | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 50 | Palestine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 50 | United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 52 | Bulgaria | 0 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 53 | Latvia | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 54 | North Macedonia | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 55 | Czech Republic | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 56 | Switzerland | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 57 | Norway | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 58 | Scotland | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 59 | New Zealand | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| – | Individual Neutral Athletes | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 60 | Portugal | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 61 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 62 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 62 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 64 | Ecuador | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 64 | Great Britain | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 64 | Guatemala | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 64 | Taiwan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 68 | Malaysia | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 69 | Dominican Republic | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 70 | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 70 | El Salvador | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 70 | Philippines | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 70 | Romania | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 74 | Armenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Georgia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Libya | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Moldova | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Qatar | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Saar | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | Slovenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 74 | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (83 entries) | Totals (83 entries) | 386 | 386 | 767 | 1,539 |