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The Coaching Team

The people
behind the dojo

Experienced fighters, world and European champions, certified coaches. What unites us: real Kyokushin and the commitment to make every single person better.

Iuliia und Emanuel Lebo im Gi im K.O.DOJO
Iuliia and Emanuel Lebo, founders of the K.O.DOJO.
Our story

Two paths became
one dojo

Two karateka, two countries, one path. Iuliia and Emanuel did not start the K.O.DOJO as a business idea, but as the dojo they wanted to train in themselves.

Emanuel started Kyokushin in 2001 and has trained in the dojo of Shihan Željko Mičaković since 2008. In 2015 he became European champion and, in the same year, world champion. Iuliia came to Vienna from the Russian school Kayman. She has been training Kyokushin for over 20 years and has won medals at European and world championships.

In 2018 the two stood in front of a group together for the first time. Borrowed hall slots turned into a dojo of their own. With the support of our Shihan Jack the K.O.DOJO was born: real Kyokushin Karate with a clean signature.

Today it has become more than a karate school. Together with the partner club in Tulln they founded the Austrian Kyokushin Federation: Emanuel as president, Iuliia heading the competitive-sport committee. Whoever trains with us trains in that lineage: children, adults and competitors alike.

“We are not building a studio. We are building a dojo we would walk into ourselves.”

  1. 2001
    Emanuel and Iuliia begin their Kyokushin journey.
  2. 2015
    European and world champion titles for Emanuel. Iuliia and Emanuel meet.
  3. 2018
    Iuliia moves to Vienna. Their first trainings together.
  4. Today
    Their own dojo and a shared federation: the Austrian Kyokushin Federation.

Head coaches and dojo leadership

Senpai

Iuliia Lebo

1. Dan

World and European championship medalist (Kumite)

Coach profile

Iuliia Lebo

Iuliia’s life has been bound to Kyokushin for over 20 years. She fought Kumite tournaments as a child and gathered plenty of competition experience over the years.

She was trained in the world-renowned Russian school Kayman. Her Sensei Dmitry Kotvitsky, one of Russia’s best-known coaches, brought her to coaching. In Moscow she earned her law degree, but decided against a career as a lawyer and followed her passion.

In 2018 she came to Vienna and led the children’s groups together with Emanuel. Together the two founded the K.O.DOJO and built it into one of Austria’s most successful and strongest dojos.

They also founded the Austrian Kyokushin Federation (AKF), together with Country Representative Shihan Željko Mičaković and the partner club in Tulln led by Sensei Christian Sischka. Iuliia heads the competitive-sport committee, Emanuel is president.

Her focus is on children’s training, developing young talent and building a strong Kumite team. She is head coach and national team coach of the AKF.

What matters to Iuliia

„I focus personally on every single person I train: strength, will, dedication and respect.“

„Don’t be afraid of challenges and always try new things.“

Units: K.O.KIDS | K.O.FIGHTING
Sensei

Emanuel Lebo

3. Dan

World & European champion (Kumite)

Coach profile

Emanuel Lebo

Kyokushin has been part of Emanuel’s life since 2001. It quickly became more than a hobby. He completed his architecture degree in 2017, but later chose the path with more time for karate.

Over 20 years he gathered countless successes, among them the European champion title in Berlin in 2015 and the world champion title the same year in Khabarovsk.

In 2026 he earned his 3rd Dan at the Super Black Belt Exam before IFK president Shihan David Pickthall and an international committee. With Jonas Rosin he completed a 50-man Kumite: 100 minutes non-stop, something very special in Kyokushin.

Together with Iuliia he founded the K.O.DOJO and made it what it is today: real full-contact Kyokushin, clean craft, high standards.

The two also founded the Austrian Kyokushin Federation (AKF), together with Country Representative Shihan Željko Mičaković and the partner club in Tulln led by Sensei Christian Sischka. Emanuel is president, Iuliia heads the competitive-sport committee.

What matters to Emanuel

„Training begins and ends with respect: for your coaches, the dojo and your training partners.“

„You win or lose a fight before you ever step onto the mat.“

Units: K.O.FIGHTING | K.O.KARATE

Coaches and mentors

The people who carry the training week after week: from kids classes to the Kumite team.

Senpai Vanja Barudžija
Coach
Senpai

Vanja Barudžija

2. Dan

K.O.KARATE | Kata & Bunkai specialist

Coach profile

Vanja Barudžija

Vanja, also called Peter, began his Kyokushin path in 2005 under Sensei Jack. He earned his 1st Dan in 2012 and his 2nd Dan in 2016. After his time as a Kumite athlete he focused on Kihon, Kata and Bunkai.

In 2015 he trained for several months at the Kyokushin-Kan Honbu in Japan under Kancho Hatsuo Royama, an authentic insight into Japanese Karate-Do.

That same year he qualified as a physiotherapist, making him the right person in the dojo for physical complaints too.

What matters to Vanja

„Listen to your body.“

„Focus more on technique and less on strength, that way you transfer your strength into your technique more efficiently.“

Units: K.O.KARATE
Shihan Željko Mičaković
Mentor
Shihan

Željko Mičaković

6. Dan

Country Representative IFK Austria

Coach profile

Željko Mičaković

Our Shihan (grandmaster), called simply „Jack“ by some students, is far more than a coach. He is the country representative of the IFK (International Federation of Karate, Kyokushin) in Austria and founder of the club KDK, Karate do Kyokushinkai. Only with his help was it possible to realize our dream of the K.O.DOJO.

As one of the few, he had the honour of training under Sosai Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin karate, making him a direct student of his. With deep knowledge and a calm manner he has turned several of his protégés into champions. It is thanks to him that Austria can boast medal winners at European and world championships.

What matters to Shihan

„Train with full commitment or don’t train at all.“

„There are only three secrets to getting better: first training, second training and third training.“

Units: K.O.KARATE | Tai Chi & Qi Gong
Senpai Marko Milenković
Coach
Senpai

Marko Milenković

1. Dan

K.O.KIDS | K.O.KARATE | K.O.FIGHTING

Coach profile

Marko Milenković

Marko has dedicated his life to karate and has practised other martial arts for many years too. He started with Shotokan karate until he lost his heart to Kyokushin. Over the years he fought in numerous competitions and secured personal successes that kept driving him to develop further.

In 2026 he passed his black belt exam, graded under the chairmanship of IFK president David Pickthall. Since 2026 he has been a coach at the K.O.DOJO and brings a wealth of experience as a martial-arts coach.

His heart is in developing teenagers and children so that they grow in character and become good people and good karateka.

What matters to Marko

„Discipline on the mat becomes bearing in life.“

„A good karateka measures himself not against his opponent, but against who he was yesterday.“

Units: K.O.KIDS | K.O.KARATE | K.O.FIGHTING

Meet us on the mat

Your first training is free. Come by and meet the team in person.

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