The Ippon karate group from Chicago, composed of Serbian and Macedonian children, excelled at the prestigious AAU Central District / Illinois State Championship karate competition, held in Illinois (USA), where the young athletes won an incredible 13 medals across various age groups and disciplines.
Under the leadership of our prominent coach Uroš Kaličanin, a former world junior champion and experienced karate sensei, the Ippon team once again showed Serbian martial arts strength and discipline in competition with the strongest clubs from the American Midwest. Trainings are regularly held in the hall of the St. Nicholas Church in the Chicago suburb of Lyons, where children prepare for great challenges.
Young karate fighters, ranging from the youngest to pioneers, won medals in kumite (fighting) and kata (form) disciplines, competing against contestants from various federal states and clubs who came to prove themselves at this ranked championship. This success testifies to the quality of training and the dedication of every young competitor.
Some of them competed for the first time on such a large stage, while others confirmed their previous successes from past seasons.
This success of the Ippon club shows that working with children and focusing on the fundamental values of martial arts – respect, discipline, and sportsmanship – brings concrete results. The club continues with preparations for the upcoming seasons and larger tournaments in America and the region, where our competitors will defend the colors of Serbia and the diaspora.
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Source: Serbian Times; Photo: Printscreen Instagram