Shotokan Karate Club competes in national championships

Six members of Salve Regina’s Shotokan Karate Club traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota earlier this month to compete in the International Shotokan Karate Federation’s national championships.

Approximately 200 competitors were in attendance, including students from institutions such as Brown University, Drexel University, University of California Los Angeles and University of Colorado Denver.

The six students competed in 12 kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) events, taking home a team-record 20 medals and placing first in collegiate team kumite and second in collegiate team kata.

Salve Regina students in attendance included:

• Emily Jackson ’20, second-degree purple belt. Jackson placed first in collegiate team kumite, second in collegiate intermediate kumite and third in adult intermediate kata.
• Marissa Johnson ’20, second-degree brown belt. Johnson placed first in collegiate team kumite, second in collegiate team kata, second in adult brown belt kata, second in adult brown belt kumite, third in collegiate advanced kata and third in collegiate advanced kumite.
• Karisa Longo ’21, orange belt. Longo placed third in collegiate beginner kumite and third in collegiate beginner kata.
• Eleonora Michael ’19, first-degree purple belt. Michael placed third in adult intermediate kumite and third in collegiate intermediate kumite.
• Allison Nickerson ’21, green belt. Nickerson placed first in collegiate team kumite and second in collegiate team kata.
• Aja Pragana ’20, green belt. Pragana placed second in collegiate team kata, second in adult intermediate kata, third in adult intermediate kumite and third in collegiate intermediate kumite.

“The team placed in every single event we competed in, ranging from third place to first place,” Johnson said. “Our proudest accomplishments were our team events – placing first in collegiate team kumite and second in collegiate team kata.”