With Karate’s Olympic Future Uncertain, Sakura Kokumai Eyes Strong Showing At Pan Am Games
Kokumai, a 2020 Olympian, will go from the world championships in Hungary right to Chile for the Pan Am Games.
Athlete Bio#
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Hometown
Los Alamitos, CA
Quick Facts
- I started doing karate when I was only 5 years old
- My favorite food is Filipino Empanadas
- year. I’ve made it for individual kata all 4 years and for team kata twice
- My mom is my real life hero because without her I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today. She sacrifices her time and energy to make sure that I can train, and she even takes off work to travel with me
- My biggest win was this year at nationals. This is the first time I’ve been given the opportunity to compete in individual kata at the world championships
- I love how at competitions you get to meet people from around the US and even the world that you wouldn’t have known if you didn’t compete
- I try to pull inspiration from every person I meet, but I get most of it from my role models at the dojo. When I see them training hard alongside me, I feel humbled as well as get inspired to try and keep up with them
- "See the good and the value of all things" - Someone from my dojo
Career Highlights
- World Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships, Konya, 2022 (Individual Kata - Women)
- World Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships, Santiago, 2019 (Individual Kata - Women)
- World Junior, Cadet & U21 Championships, Tenerife, 2017 (Team Kata - Women)
