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Sakura Kokumai

Sakura Kokumai (born October 2, 1992) is an American karateka. She won the gold medal in the women's individual kata event at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru and the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. She represented the United States in the women's kata event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.[2][3]

Sakura Kokumai
Personal information
Born (1992-10-02) October 2, 1992 (age 32)
Honolulu, Hawaii, US
EducationDoshisha University[1]
Alma materWaseda University
Height5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportShitō-ryū Karate
Rank4th Degree Black Belt[1]
EventIndividual kata
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking5th
Medal record
Women's karate
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima Individual kata
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Individual kata
World Karate Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Paris Individual kata
World Combat Games
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Saint Petersburg Individual kata

Career

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In 2012, Kokumai won a bronze medal in the individual kata event at the World Karate Championships held in Paris, France.[4] The following year, she won the bronze medal in the women's kata event at the 2013 World Combat Games held in Saint Petersburg, Russia.[5] In 2014, Kokumai won the gold medal in the women's kata event at the Pan American Sports Festival held in Tlaxcala, Mexico.[6] She won the silver medal in her event at the 2016 World University Karate Championships held in Braga, Portugal.[7][8]

At the 2017 World Games held in Wrocław, Poland, Kokumai lost her bronze medal match against Sandy Scordo of France in the women's kata event.[9] In 2018, she competed in the women's individual kata event at the World Karate Championships held in Madrid, Spain where she was eliminated in her third match by Viviana Bottaro of Italy.[10]

Kokumai won the gold medal in the women's individual kata event at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru.[11][12] She competed in the women's individual kata event at the 2019 World Beach Games held in Doha, Qatar without winning a medal.[13] She finished in 5th place.[13]

In April 2021, during a training session, Kokumai was subjected to anti-Asian harassment, of which she captured the incident[14] via Instagram.[15][16][17]

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Kokumai competed in the women's kata where she lost her bronze medal match against Viviana Bottaro of Italy.[18] A few months after the Olympics, she also lost her bronze medal match against Bottaro in the women's individual kata event at the 2021 World Karate Championships held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[19]

Kokumai competed in the women's kata event at the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, United States.[20] In 2023, she lost her bronze medal match in the women's individual kata event at the World Karate Championships held in Budapest, Hungary.[21] A week later, Kokumai won the gold medal in her event at the 2023 Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile.[22]

Achievements

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Year Competition Venue Rank Event
2012 World Championships Paris, France 3rd Individual kata
2013 World Combat Games Saint Petersburg, Russia 3rd Individual kata
2019 Pan American Games Lima, Peru 1st Individual kata
2023 Pan American Games Santiago, Chile 1st Individual kata

References

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  1. ^ a b "Olympics: Kokumai is U.S. Karate's Best Hope to Not Leave Empty Handed". Team USA. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  2. ^ "WKF announces first qualified athletes for Tokyo 2020". World Karate Federation. March 18, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  3. ^ Price, Karen (September 1, 2020). "For Sakura Kokumai, Team USA's First Karate Olympian, The Sport Is More About Art Than Aggression". Team USA. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "Sakura Kokumai". Team USA. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "SportAccord World Combat Games 2013". World Karate Federation. November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019.
  6. ^ "Karate Medalists" (PDF). 2014 Pan American Sports Festival. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Morgan, Liam (August 13, 2016). "Agier lays down marker with victory over rival Buchinger at World University Karate Championship". Inside the Games. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "2016 World University Karate Championships Results Book" (PDF). Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  9. ^ "Karate Results" (PDF). 2017 World Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Results Book" (PDF). 2018 World Karate Championships. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  11. ^ "Karate Results" (PDF). 2019 Pan American Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Lima 2019: Ingrid Aranda consigue la medalla de bronce en karate". Agencia Peruana de Noticias (in Spanish). August 9, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Karate Results Book" (PDF). 2019 World Beach Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Couldn't stop thinking about what happened yesterday". Sakura Kokumai. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  15. ^ Burke, Minyvonne (April 9, 2021). "Olympic athlete Sakura Kokumai targeted in anti-Asian rant at park". NBC. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  16. ^ Pinho, Faith E. (April 19, 2021). "Elderly Korean couple attacked in Orange park by same man who harassed Olympian, police say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  17. ^ Smith, Hayley (April 6, 2021). "Olympic athlete targeted in anti-Asian attack in Orange County". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  18. ^ Costantini, Lisa (August 5, 2021). "Sakura Kokumai Finishes Fifth In Karate's Olympic Debut". Team USA. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  19. ^ "2021 World Karate Championships Results Book" (PDF). World Karate Federation. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  20. ^ "Karate Results Book" (PDF). 2022 World Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  21. ^ "2023 World Karate Championships Results Book". Sportdata.org. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  22. ^ "2023 Pan American Games Karate Results Book" (PDF). 2023 Pan American Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
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