The women’s kata competition featured a number of big names, with the top two in the World Karate Federation (WKF) rankings now set to meet in the final at the Horst-Korber-Sportzentrum.

Both Kiyou Shimizu of Japan and Sanchez of Spain performed largely faultlessly on their way to the final, with Shimizu winning all her bouts 5-0.

It will be the seventh final in eight appearances for the Japanese two-time world champion this year.

Sanchez also won all of her bouts 5-0.

“I am very happy for what this qualification to the final represents,” she said.

“It is my first final, now that the Olympic qualification process has started, and on top of that, the final will be on my birthday!”

With the qualification to her fourth final this year, the world ranking leader from Spain extended her record-breaking streak of 29 consecutive medals in over three years of international competitions.

Turkey's Ozcelik also caught the eye by qualifying for the women’s kumite under-50 kilogram final, defeating reigning world champion Alexandra Recchia of France in the last four.

She will now meet Japan’s Ayaka Tadano in the final.

The other stand out performance of the day came from Anzhelika Terliuga from Ukraine, who made the final of the women’s under-55kg kumite event by beating favourite Sara Cardin of Italy in the semi-finals 1-0.

She will next face Estonia’s Li Lirisman, who won gold at the under-21 European Championships this year.

Action in the German capital continues tomorrow.