JAPAN KARATE ASSOCIATION / AMERICAN FEDERATION

RESULTS FROM THE 2008 JKA WF America NATIONAL tournament in Tampa, Florida, October 11th and October 12th. The JKAAF did excellent competitively at the recent tournament. The results are:

In the women's divisions Ray Semana (LKA) was named the best all around female competitor. Ray took first in women's advanced Kata, women's advanced Kumite, and was a member of the women's kata and kumite teams that both took gold and became a nominee for the U.S. team in both kata and kumite. Georgia Gaconnet (JKA Chicago) took second in women's brown belt kata and first in women's brown belt Kumite. Candis Durand (NIKI) placed third in women's kumite and also took gold on the kata and kumite team. Rachel Neill (LKA) placed third in individual kata and received a Gold for team kata and Holly Damico (LKC) received gold for team kumite.

In the men's divisions Lane Nevils (LKC) was named the best all around male competitor. Lane took first in men's advanced kata, silver in men’s kumite, and was a member of the men's kata and kumite teams that both took gold and became a nominee for the U.S. team in both kata and kumite. Devin Fadaol (Tulane) won the Kumite championship, won gold in team kumite and became a nominee for the U.S. team in Kumite. Tony Nakamura (JKA Chicago) took third in Kumite and also became a nominee for the U.S. team. Soon Yeoh (LKC) took fourth in Kata and gold in team kata and kumite. Christopher Jones (JKA Chicago) took silver in men's brown belt kata. Patrik Dala (JKA Chicago) took bronze in men's brown belt kata and kumite. Dimitri Papadopoulos (Tulane) won two gold medals in both men's team kata and team kumite.

In the Senior events Maria Hrabec (LKA) took bronze in kata, gold in kumite, and gold in team kata. Cindy Mortimer (GYMCA) took silver in kata, silver in kumite, and gold in team kata. Helen Stone (LKA) received a gold medal for team kata. Nemoto Hiroshi (JKA Chicago) won gold in men's senior kata.

In the Collegiate Events, Naomi Nemoto (U. of Ill. Chicago) received the gold medal for women’s advanced kumite and Kaitlin Baudier (LSU) received the silver for kumite. Ahria Sorbi (George Mason) received the gold medal in men's individual kata and the silver medal in kumite. Nathaniel Thomas (Xavier) won gold in men's kumite and gold in men's team kumite. Jon Decuir (LSU) won bronze in men's kumite. Jon Malveaux (Xavier) won silver in men's kumite and won gold in men's team kumite. Austin Orgah (Xavier) won the gold medal in men's team kumite.

In the Youth Events, Parisa Sorbi (ISKA) won silver in kata, silver in kumite and bronze in team kata. Cody Sedlitsky (NIKI) won silver in kata. Gavin Campbell (ISKA) took silver in kata and gold in kumite. Paulihna Sorbi (ISKA) won silver in both kata and kumite. Ailsa Campbell (ISKA) won the bronze medal in Kumite. Henry Takane (ISKA) and Ariana Tayebi (ISKA) won bronze in team kumite.

Congratulations to all who participated and to the JKAAF and Sensei Mikami for his positive influence and inspiration on the team. Everyone from the JKAAF displayed great fighting spirit.