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#
Hometown
Los Alamitos, CA
Personal
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 dojoCareer 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)
