Poway karate center shines at nationals

By Michael Bower

Three karate athletes from the San Diego Japan Karate Center in Poway qualified to represent USA at the Junior Pan-American Karate Federation competition in Brazil from Aug. 24 to Sept. 8.

Corinne Allas of the San Diego Japan Karate Center in Poway won two gold medals at the National Karate Championships July 14-17 in Arlington, Texas. She also qualified to represent the U.S. at the prestigious Junior Pan-American Karate Federation competition in Brazil Aug. 24 - Sept. 8. Courtesy Photo.

Royce Allas, 12, Corinne Allas, 15, and Gakuji Tozaki, 19, combined to win seven medals and qualify for the Junior Pan-American competition at the National Karate Championships July 14-17 in Arlington, Texas.

“These kids worked out five or six days a week and about four hours per day,” said Sensei Ferdie Allas, who is also the father of Royce and Corinne. “It was their job. If they wanted to make it, then it had to be a job.”

The 11 karate athletes from the San Diego Japan Karate Center that competed combined to win 22 medals, including 12 gold and three silver medals. The karate center now has accumulated over 1,000 medals in the last eight years.

Royce captured gold medals in the 12-13-year-old elite kata — a solo floor exercise competition — and 12-13-year-old elite kumite (sparring) +40-kg divisions. He defeated last year’s USA champion in kata and beat the favorite in kumite on his way to becoming No. 1 in the U.S. in both.

“It was a real dog fight,” Ferdie said of Royce’s road to gold in kumite. “There were 35 kids in his bracket and he had to win five matches.”

Corinne also won two gold medals — one in 14-15-year-old elite kumite +54-kg and one in the 14-15-year-old team kumite. She was smaller then most of her competition, but that allowed her to put her speed and conditioning to work.

“She had really good cardio, and I told her to trust in that and keep the pace up and work her best moves and they will eventually tire out,” Ferdie said. “They couldn’t keep up with her pace. She had four fights and won them all hands down.”

Tozaki, the oldest competitor of the group, captured the open division gold medal in kata and the open division bronze medal in kumite. Both divisions featured athletes ages 18-34. He attends UC Davis and has been with Ferdie for nearly eight years.

Other winners from the San Diego Japan Karate Center: Yuto Dean, 14, (silver in kobuto short and open kata); Kota Dean, 12, (gold in kobudo long and bronze in open kumite); Taishi Tozaki, 12, (gold in open kata and bronze in open kumite); Nicholas Lee, 13, (bronze in open kata and open kumite; gold in kobudo long); Rey Simon, 10, (gold in open kumite and bronze in open kata); Chris Lee, 8, (gold in kobudo long and silver in open kata); Rochelle Koseki, 13, (gold in open kata and open kumite).

For more information about the San Diego Japan Karate Center in Poway visit www.sandiegokarate.com.

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Posted by Michael Bower on Jul 27 2011. Filed under Community, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry