Thorsten Domke

Thorsten Domke (born 17. Dezember 1970 in Lucerne is a Swiss martial artist, three-time Swiss champion, European runner-up, and winner of the 2000 World Championship in Tokyo in Kyokushin, as well as an instructor and seminar leader. For several years, he trained alongside Andy Hug and Michael Thompson. As Andy Hug increasingly focused on Thai kickboxing and international K-1 competitions in the late 1990s, Domke decided in 1998 to return to the traditional style of Kyokushinkai karate. Early in his career, Domke completed an apprenticeship as a metal fabricator and later worked as a key account manager at various Swiss companies and organizations.

Career Thorsten Domke grew up in Stansstad with his brothers and parents. During his school and apprenticeship years, he practised various endurance sports, particularly triathlon, which laid the foundation for his later career in full-contact martial arts. At the age of 22, he began training in Kyokushinkai karate. In 1994, he transferred to the Seido Hombu Dojo in Lucerne, where he discovered the Seidokaikan style. With his instructors Andy Hug and Michael Thompson he developed special techniques including the Ushiro-Geri (back kick), Mawashi geri (low kick), and Ushiro-Mawashi-Geri (spinning back roundhouse kick). He played an active role in establishing the Hombu Swiss Seido in Horw. As Andy Hug increasingly focused on Thai kickboxing and international K-1 competitions in the late 1990s, Domke decided in 1998 to return to the traditional style of Kyokushinkai karate. Domke works as a seminar leader and technical expert of modern full-contact martial arts styles. Mastery Levels Mastery Levels: Thorsten Domke holds a 6th dan in Kyokusinkaikan Karate, a 1st dan in Seidokaikan Karate, and has completed advanced training in Krav Maga (Amnon Maor).

Competitions 1994 1st place in the Pilatus Cup Kyokushinkai tournament in Alpnach after four matches

1995 5th place in the “Best of Sixteen” tournament at Seidokaikan in Berlin (lost to Semmy Schilt) 16th place in the World Championship finals at the Seidokaikan in Osaka, after securing one of three spots organized by Andy Hug There, he trained alongside the world's best fighters, including Andy Hug, Nobuaki Kakuda, Michael Thompson, Felix Ntumazah, Taiei Kin, Toshiyuki Atokawa, and Akio Mori.

1996 1st place at the Swiss Seidokaikan Championship (middleweight) 5th place in Kyokushinkai in Valencia

1997 1st place at the Swiss Seidokaikan Championship Participation in the 1st Chur Fight Night at the Seidokaikan (middleweight)

1998 2nd place at the Copa Valencia Kyokushinkai tournament in Valencia 1st place at the Swiss Kyokushinkai Championship Participation in the Kyokushinkai British Open in London

1999 European Kyokushinkai Vice Champion (Middleweight) in Budapest

2000 1st place at the Spanish Kyokushinkai Open in Barcelona, having knocked out all opponents World Champion in Kyokushinkai in Tokyo, the first European to achieve this feat

2008 Winner of the Kyokushinkai Fight in Barcelona

Quotations

Trivia Andy Hug's coach, Jean-Louis Romule, a 26-year-old former kickboxer from Martinique, died on the evening of January 21, 1996, due to a congenital heart defect at Hug's training center in Lucerne, in the arms of Thorsten Domke. Thorsten Domke appeared alongside Andy Hug and Michael Thompson on the September 12, 1996, episode of “Casa Nostra,” hosted by Kurt Aeschbacher. Thorsten Domke was named Athlete of the Year in the “Men’s” category at the 4th Central Switzerland Sports Gala, which was hosted by Beni Thurnheer.