Maria Gladkih wins BRONZE at Jr. Karate Pan American Championships Okinawa Karate | Denver Shotokan Karate | Kids Martial Arts

Maria Gladkih wins BRONZE at Jr. Karate Pan American Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Martin Gissa narrowly misses a medal…

Okinawa Team at XXX Pan American Karate Championships 2019

It’s a wrap!!!

To say the least it was the highest level tournament and the highest results our dojo has ever reached, but we strongly believe this is just the beginning of something much greater ahead!!!

Bronze medal forMaria Gladkih (12-13 yrs old girls, -47kg). Martin Gissa (14-15 yrs old, -57 kg) had 3 spectacular fights, he was leading in scores 3:0 against silver medalist of the division but got disqualified within the last few seconds of the match.

USA Jr. National Karate Team 2019

Team USA got 3rd place in total medal count. Amazing performance by every athlete, medal or not – you all did great by being here, being on the team and representing your country on the tatami and outside of it! ;
Huge thank you to all the coaches of Team USA! Maile Chinen-Koncal, Dustin Baldis, John Limcaco, Randy Word, Miguel Ochoa, Akira Fukuda.

USA National Team Coaches [left to right]: Maile Chinen-Koncal, Randy Word, John Limcaco, our athletes Maria Gladkih and Martin Gissa, Akira Fukuda,  Dustin Baldis, Brody Burns, Elizabeth Sottille, Alex Padalka.

These result would not be possible without you, your motivation and guidance was a huge defining factor in such a great performance by all athletes! Shout out to head coach Brody Burns for leading this huge team of young individuals from different parts of the country with different origins and cultures, – you made everybody feel united and inspired by the same goal! 

With USA Head Coach Brody Burns

Elizabeth Sottile – if anybody ever organized an event of 10+ people they should realize that organizing this many juniors on the team plus all of their parents/chaperones/coaches takes tons of effort and professionalism – thank you! The rest of the team stuff – photographer, doctor and anybody else we are missing – we appreciate it a lot! Our own photographer Jelena Gladkih – you are the best, we hope you know it! Congrats on your daughter’s bronze! Thank you to IMA Dojo Hanshi Cyrus Madani and Sensei Fariba Madani for warmly hosting our athletes at your training, it benefited Maria and Martin’s performance and mental preparedness!

Sensei Alex Padalka

To everyone who financially supported this trip – thank you all so much, it helped a lot!!! To all of you who were following our updates and kept sending us your energy, words of encouragement and love – you guys are incredible! We are so lucky to have you as our team behind the team!!!
Domo arigato! Oss.

USA Jr. National Karate Team 2019 – 3rd place in overall medal count

…and of course we got to enjoy Ecuador:

Watch us on YouTube

FOX31 Denver - Morning News LIVE - Vitaly Padalka and Eduard Sagilyan - February 24th, 2023

Texas High Caliber Karate Tournament 2021, March 20-21

Video recap of 2023 #DreamTeamOkinawa

Okinawa Competition Team - 2022 year recap

2018 "before the social distancing"

Follow us on Instagram

#ThrowbackThursday to the 2005 FSKA World Championships. Five fighters. One goal.
Proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with legends - Sensei Hiroshi Allen @hirokarate , Jesse Arimas, Brandon Carrillo, and Thomas Balka.In the final match, Sensei Vitaly delivered the decisive victory, clinching the title for Team USA against the reigning champions Team France.The Stardust Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NVA moment in history.
Roots run deep. The journey never ends.#TBT #KarateBros
#OkinawaTeam #HiroKarate #FSKA
#Funakoshi #Shotokan #Karate

#ThrowbackThursday to the 2005 FSKA World Championships. Five fighters. One goal.
Proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with legends - Sensei Hiroshi Allen @hirokarate , Jesse Arimas, Brandon Carrillo, and Thomas Balka.

In the final match, Sensei Vitaly delivered the decisive victory, clinching the title for Team USA against the reigning champions Team France.

The Stardust Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV

A moment in history.
Roots run deep. The journey never ends.

#TBT #KarateBros
#OkinawaTeam #HiroKarate #FSKA
#Funakoshi #Shotokan #Karate
...

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💥OKINAWA TEAM is ready💥
US open & Jr. International Cup
Las Vegas, NV - Paris Hotel
April 18-20Good luck to all Okinawa athletes!#USOpen #JIC #LasVegas
#KarateBros #DreamTeamOkinawa
#USAKarate

💥OKINAWA TEAM is ready💥
US open & Jr. International Cup
Las Vegas, NV - Paris Hotel
April 18-20

Good luck to all Okinawa athletes!

#USOpen #JIC #LasVegas
#KarateBros #DreamTeamOkinawa
#USAKarate
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- Who are we?
- OKINAWANice work today, Team!#karatebros #dreamteamokinawa #senseilife #okinawadojo #karatekid

- Who are we?
- OKINAWA

Nice work today, Team!

#karatebros #dreamteamokinawa #senseilife #okinawadojo #karatekid
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A few words from our guest athlete Mateo Nacu about his experience at the High Caliber Denver.
Mateo finished 1st in Kata and 1st in Kumite at this karate event in Denver, Colorado.
Congratulations, champ!𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐜𝐮
World Ranking #4 🌎
PKF 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥈🥈🥈🥉
Youth League 🥇🥉🥉Thank you 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐜𝐮 @jaynacu from @ensokarate for bringing your team and supporting our tournament! 🤝
Your guidance shines through in the success of your students. Best of luck!🎥 @jrlarroche#usakarate #dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #karatedenver #ensokarate #athleteinterview

A few words from our guest athlete Mateo Nacu about his experience at the High Caliber Denver.
Mateo finished 1st in Kata and 1st in Kumite at this karate event in Denver, Colorado.
Congratulations, champ!

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐜𝐮
World Ranking #4 🌎
PKF 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥈🥈🥈🥉
Youth League 🥇🥉🥉

Thank you 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐜𝐮 @jaynacu from @ensokarate for bringing your team and supporting our tournament! 🤝
Your guidance shines through in the success of your students. Best of luck!

🎥 @jrlarroche

#usakarate #dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #karatedenver #ensokarate #athleteinterview
...

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Sensei Noël Nkuranyabahizi @coachnoel250 traveled all the way from Rwanda to support the High Caliber Denver tournament!We appreciate your help with officiating and the positive energy you brought. Looking forward to welcoming you and your team back in 2026! @thechampionssportsacademy#highcaliberdenver #okinawadojo #usakarate #senseilife #karatebros #karateunites

Sensei Noël Nkuranyabahizi @coachnoel250 traveled all the way from Rwanda to support the High Caliber Denver tournament!

We appreciate your help with officiating and the positive energy you brought. Looking forward to welcoming you and your team back in 2026! @thechampionssportsacademy

#highcaliberdenver #okinawadojo #usakarate #senseilife #karatebros #karateunites
...

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🆂🅴🅴 🆈🅾🆄 🅽🅴🆇🆃 🆈🅴🅰🆁! 👊
💥 High Caliber Denver sends a huge THANK YOU for making this year’s event the best one yet!🎥 Relive the action with this incredible video by Ricardo Larroche with JRL - a true highlight of the tournament! @jrlarroche🇺🇸 History in the making! This was the first USA Karate-sanctioned event of 2025, and we’re beyond grateful for the National Karate Federation’s support @usakarate . Your backing helped us take this event to the next level. #LevelUp👫🫶💃🏼 Team Okinawa - you are simply the best! This wouldn’t have been possible without you.🕺 Referees & Judges - your exceptional performance kept the competition at the highest standard. Domo Arigato Gozaimashita!👨‍⚕️⛑️👩‍⚕️ To our dedicated medical team - Mile High Internal Medicine, thank you for ensuring every athlete received top-notch care. @ermin.kreso🌺 A touch of beauty! The stunning floral arrangements at the podium and VIP table were hard to miss. Huge shoutout to Amanda & Marchello @amanda_theflorist @marchellosfloral did you know those flowers were real? 🫶We extend our gratitude to all Coaches, Senseis, Athletes, and club owners who supported our tournament this year!This year was nothing short of phenomenal! A special shoutout to our amazing Karate Brothers, Vitaly and Alex Padalka, our diligent team manager Laura Hansen @lauraj_hansen , and our operations manager Arturo Fuentes @the_fuga_studio . To all the volunteers, staff, and supporters—your invaluable efforts made this celebration of karate possible. We’re deeply grateful, and your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed!🎨Shoutout to our amazing designer, Andrew Moroz @maroscreative His eye-catching designs truly elevated the event.
🥇 A special thank you to Sensei Paco Gomez @pacogomez21 the master of production, who helped bring it all to life!🔒 Commitment to excellence! We upheld the highest standards by ensuring all officials, coaches, 18+ athletes, and even medics completed SafeSport training.🔥 We’ll see you again next year!#dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #usakarate #okinawadojo #senseilife #karatedenver

🆂🅴🅴 🆈🅾🆄 🅽🅴🆇🆃 🆈🅴🅰🆁! 👊
💥 High Caliber Denver sends a huge THANK YOU for making this year’s event the best one yet!

🎥 Relive the action with this incredible video by Ricardo Larroche with JRL - a true highlight of the tournament! @jrlarroche

🇺🇸 History in the making! This was the first USA Karate-sanctioned event of 2025, and we’re beyond grateful for the National Karate Federation’s support @usakarate . Your backing helped us take this event to the next level. #LevelUp

👫🫶💃🏼 Team Okinawa - you are simply the best! This wouldn’t have been possible without you.

🕺 Referees & Judges - your exceptional performance kept the competition at the highest standard. Domo Arigato Gozaimashita!

👨‍⚕️⛑️👩‍⚕️ To our dedicated medical team - Mile High Internal Medicine, thank you for ensuring every athlete received top-notch care. @ermin.kreso

🌺 A touch of beauty! The stunning floral arrangements at the podium and VIP table were hard to miss. Huge shoutout to Amanda & Marchello @amanda_theflorist @marchellosfloral did you know those flowers were real? 🫶

We extend our gratitude to all Coaches, Senseis, Athletes, and club owners who supported our tournament this year!

This year was nothing short of phenomenal! A special shoutout to our amazing Karate Brothers, Vitaly and Alex Padalka, our diligent team manager Laura Hansen @lauraj_hansen , and our operations manager Arturo Fuentes @the_fuga_studio . To all the volunteers, staff, and supporters—your invaluable efforts made this celebration of karate possible. We’re deeply grateful, and your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed!

🎨Shoutout to our amazing designer, Andrew Moroz @maroscreative His eye-catching designs truly elevated the event.
🥇 A special thank you to Sensei Paco Gomez @pacogomez21 the master of production, who helped bring it all to life!

🔒 Commitment to excellence! We upheld the highest standards by ensuring all officials, coaches, 18+ athletes, and even medics completed SafeSport training.

🔥 We’ll see you again next year!

#dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #usakarate #okinawadojo #senseilife #karatedenver
...

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Happy birthday Sensei Alex, happy birthday Brother!
You are a great man, a talented teacher, an amazing father and husband, a remarkable son, an exceptional friend, and the best brother I could possibly imagine!
I love you and wish you to be happy 🫶
Enjoy every day of life, achieve new heights, and continue making a difference!
Proud to be your brother ❤️
Have a magical birthday!!!#HappyBirthday #SenseiLife #KarateBros

Happy birthday Sensei Alex, happy birthday Brother!
You are a great man, a talented teacher, an amazing father and husband, a remarkable son, an exceptional friend, and the best brother I could possibly imagine!
I love you and wish you to be happy 🫶
Enjoy every day of life, achieve new heights, and continue making a difference!
Proud to be your brother ❤️
Have a magical birthday!!!

#HappyBirthday #SenseiLife #KarateBros
...

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𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣We had a pleasure of having USA Karate athlete of the year and a Double Pan American champion - Isabela Sanchez @isa.karate at the High Caliber Denver karate championships.This young lady is a great example of true karateka and an awesome person overall.
Congratulations on your strong performance, Isa! 🔥
Btw, next year we will have weight divisions 😉Of course, congratulations to a proud father Sensei Luis Sanchez @luisblackbelt and @floridakarateclubs#karatebros #dreamteamokinawa #highcaliberdenver #senseilife #usakarate #denverhighcaliber #karatedenver #interview🎥 @jrlarroche

𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

We had a pleasure of having USA Karate athlete of the year and a Double Pan American champion - Isabela Sanchez @isa.karate at the High Caliber Denver karate championships.

This young lady is a great example of true karateka and an awesome person overall.
Congratulations on your strong performance, Isa! 🔥
Btw, next year we will have weight divisions 😉

Of course, congratulations to a proud father Sensei Luis Sanchez @luisblackbelt and @floridakarateclubs

#karatebros #dreamteamokinawa #highcaliberdenver #senseilife #usakarate #denverhighcaliber #karatedenver #interview

🎥 @jrlarroche
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