The U.S Open and Junior International Cup 2016 In Las Vegas Okinawa Karate | Denver Shotokan Karate | Kids Martial Arts

The U.S Open and Junior International Cup 2016 in Las Vegas

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The U.S Open and Junior International Cup are two international competitions that take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. I came here, all the way from Denver, Colorado to see the best karate practitioners in the world, and to show what I have learned in the previous year. The tournament was set to start on Friday, March 25. Two days prior to the competition, Denver was hit by a massive winter storm. Because of this, some team members could not fly out as scheduled, so they decided to drive through the storm to make it their on time. Because of the whole teamโ€™s dedication, we all arrived to Vegas on time.

This was only my second time competing in an international tournament, so I was extremely nervous.ย  The first day of the tournament arrived, and I was already seeing perfect, and really unique styles of karate. But I could not forget about my teammates and friends from Okinawa Dojo, who were also competing this weekend. During the long days of competition, while waiting for our events, we cheer and support each other. We help each other gain confidence, and we lift each other up when we feel sad. These relationships play a big role in our success. Our parents also played a big role in our results.

They had to take us to Vegas, pay for this expensive event, and since we don’t always win, they had to help us through difficult times. But finally, last but not least, there ย would have been no competition for us if we did not have our amazing and hard working senseis. Sensei Alex, and Sensei Vitaly work as hard as they can to help us become the best that we can be. They help us achieve our goals, and show us their dedication to karate, by competing in the same competition next to us. Without friends, parents, and coaches, this event would not have been possible. We spent three whole days competing and watching other athletes.

However, the competition was not the entire experience of the trip. We also came to explore and take pictures of Las Vegas, a place like no other. I saw lights everywhere I looked, I saw really cool shows on the streets, and finally I saw the most beautiful hotels that I’ve ever seen. I am extremely thankful to my teammates, parents, and especially coaches, for a chance to compete in an international competition of this level”.

Michael Pogrebitskiy
15 years old, Green Belt, athlete at Okinawa Dojo.

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It took us some time ๐Ÿคซ to properly display the WKF and PKF medals earned by our student Eduard Sagilyan.Proud of you Eddie @eduard_sagilyan_
Letโ€™s keep adding to it
#AllTheWayToTheTop๐Ÿ”
#USAkarate #WKF #PKF #Medals#KarateBros #SenseiLife
#DreamTeamOkinawa

It took us some time ๐Ÿคซ to properly display the WKF and PKF medals earned by our student Eduard Sagilyan.

Proud of you Eddie @eduard_sagilyan_
Letโ€™s keep adding to it
#AllTheWayToTheTop๐Ÿ”
#USAkarate #WKF #PKF #Medals

#KarateBros #SenseiLife
#DreamTeamOkinawa
...

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#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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๐Ÿ’ฅOKINAWA TEAM is ready๐Ÿ’ฅ
US open & Jr. International Cup
Las Vegas, NV - Paris Hotel
April 18-20Good luck to all Okinawa athletes!#USOpen #JIC #LasVegas
#KarateBros #DreamTeamOkinawa
#USAKarate

๐Ÿ’ฅOKINAWA TEAM is ready๐Ÿ’ฅ
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!๐Œ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐จ ๐๐š๐œ๐ฎ
World Ranking #4 ๐ŸŒŽ
PKF ๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅ‰
Youth League ๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‰๐Ÿฅ‰Thank you ๐’๐ž๐ง๐ฌ๐ž๐ข ๐‰๐š๐ฒ ๐๐š๐œ๐ฎ @jaynacu from @ensokarate for bringing your team and supporting our tournament! ๐Ÿค
Your guidance shines through in the success of your students. Best of luck!๐ŸŽฅ @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!

๐Œ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐จ ๐๐š๐œ๐ฎ
World Ranking #4 ๐ŸŒŽ
PKF ๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅˆ๐Ÿฅ‰
Youth League ๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‰๐Ÿฅ‰

Thank you ๐’๐ž๐ง๐ฌ๐ž๐ข ๐‰๐š๐ฒ ๐๐š๐œ๐ฎ @jaynacu from @ensokarate for bringing your team and supporting our tournament! ๐Ÿค
Your guidance shines through in the success of your students. Best of luck!

๐ŸŽฅ @jrlarroche

#usakarate #dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #karatedenver #ensokarate #athleteinterview
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Sensei Noรซl 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 Noรซl 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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๐Ÿ†‚๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ…ด ๐Ÿ†ˆ๐Ÿ…พ๐Ÿ†„ ๐Ÿ…ฝ๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ†‡๐Ÿ†ƒ ๐Ÿ†ˆ๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ…ฐ๐Ÿ†! ๐Ÿ‘Š
๐Ÿ’ฅ High Caliber Denver sends a huge THANK YOU for making this yearโ€™s event the best one yet!๐ŸŽฅ Relive the action with this incredible video by Ricardo Larroche with JRL - a true highlight of the tournament! @jrlarroche๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ History in the making! This was the first USA Karate-sanctioned event of 2025, and weโ€™re beyond grateful for the National Karate Federationโ€™s support @usakarate . Your backing helped us take this event to the next level. #LevelUp๐Ÿ‘ซ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿผ Team Okinawa - you are simply the best! This wouldnโ€™t have been possible without you.๐Ÿ•บ Referees & Judges - your exceptional performance kept the competition at the highest standard. Domo Arigato Gozaimashita!๐Ÿ‘จโ€โš•๏ธโ›‘๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ To our dedicated medical team - Mile High Internal Medicine, thank you for ensuring every athlete received top-notch care. @ermin.kreso๐ŸŒบ 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? ๐ŸซถWe 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 supportersโ€”your invaluable efforts made this celebration of karate possible. Weโ€™re deeply grateful, and your hard work hasnโ€™t gone unnoticed!๐ŸŽจShoutout to our amazing designer, Andrew Moroz @maroscreative His eye-catching designs truly elevated the event.
๐Ÿฅ‡ A special thank you to Sensei Paco Gomez @pacogomez21 the master of production, who helped bring it all to life!๐Ÿ”’ Commitment to excellence! We upheld the highest standards by ensuring all officials, coaches, 18+ athletes, and even medics completed SafeSport training.๐Ÿ”ฅ Weโ€™ll see you again next year!#dreamteamokinawa #karatebros #highcaliberdenver #usakarate #okinawadojo #senseilife #karatedenver

๐Ÿ†‚๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ…ด ๐Ÿ†ˆ๐Ÿ…พ๐Ÿ†„ ๐Ÿ…ฝ๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ†‡๐Ÿ†ƒ ๐Ÿ†ˆ๐Ÿ…ด๐Ÿ…ฐ๐Ÿ†! ๐Ÿ‘Š
๐Ÿ’ฅ High Caliber Denver sends a huge THANK YOU for making this yearโ€™s event the best one yet!

๐ŸŽฅ Relive the action with this incredible video by Ricardo Larroche with JRL - a true highlight of the tournament! @jrlarroche

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ History in the making! This was the first USA Karate-sanctioned event of 2025, and weโ€™re beyond grateful for the National Karate Federationโ€™s support @usakarate . Your backing helped us take this event to the next level. #LevelUp

๐Ÿ‘ซ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿผ Team Okinawa - you are simply the best! This wouldnโ€™t have been possible without you.

๐Ÿ•บ Referees & Judges - your exceptional performance kept the competition at the highest standard. Domo Arigato Gozaimashita!

๐Ÿ‘จโ€โš•๏ธโ›‘๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ To our dedicated medical team - Mile High Internal Medicine, thank you for ensuring every athlete received top-notch care. @ermin.kreso

๐ŸŒบ 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? ๐Ÿซถ

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 supportersโ€”your invaluable efforts made this celebration of karate possible. Weโ€™re deeply grateful, and your hard work hasnโ€™t gone unnoticed!

๐ŸŽจShoutout to our amazing designer, Andrew Moroz @maroscreative His eye-catching designs truly elevated the event.
๐Ÿฅ‡ A special thank you to Sensei Paco Gomez @pacogomez21 the master of production, who helped bring it all to life!

๐Ÿ”’ Commitment to excellence! We upheld the highest standards by ensuring all officials, coaches, 18+ athletes, and even medics completed SafeSport training.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Weโ€™ll see you again next year!

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

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