SPOKANE, Wash. —
Since Thursday, karate athletes from around the country have been competing at the 2022 USA Karate National Championships, hosted by The Podium.
Competitors are trying to win a spot on the USA Karate junior national team. First place division winners could get a shot at competing at the world championships in Turkey.
This is Spokane's first major karate competition. USA Karate tournament director Brodie Burns said Spokane has been a great host in its first year.
“It is our first time here, but we love it here," Burns said. "The city’s been great, the sports commission's been amazing, the facility is amazing, the people who work at the facility are so helpful. I think we’ve had such positive comments from all the people attending on the city itself so we’re fans of Spokane.”
The championship competition moves around each year and draws in thousands from all over the United States.
"We have a big west coast group out of California, Oregon, Washington," Burns said. "Really strong karate out of those places. But we have a big group out of Chicago, New York, Texas and Florida.”
The Murota brothers traveled to Spokane from Hawaii.
14-year-old Brett and 16-year-old Brennan have practiced karate for more than half their lives.
“I’ve been doing this for 8 years," Brett said.
"I think 10 years now,” Brennan said.
They said their karate skills and love for sparing have grown since they started.
“When we were younger, we were thrown into a competition team and we’ve just grown and enjoyed competing,” Brennan said.
Spokane is Brennan’s third karate national championship and Brett’s first.
The two are walking away from this year’s championship with second place team medals around their necks for Kata karate. Brett is also taking home an individual third place Kata medal.
The championships featured three different karate-style divisions: Kumite, Kata and weapons.
Burns broke down each style.
"Kumite is what most people see," Burns said. "That's the one with the gloves where they kick and punch each other to get points. Kata is more performance-based. That would be the art side of it. Weapons is where they'll use things like bow staffs and again, leans more into the art side of it."
The Murotas and other elite karate athletes are fighting their way to a potential spot on the USA Karate junior national team.
“These are kids who have practiced and they’re working to be at the highest level for their age and weight categories,” Burns said.
The championships close with the junior elite division finals on Sunday.
The top two athletes from three age brackets, 14 to 15, 16 to 17 and 18 to 20, will fight for the title of national champion.
The Podium is offering free admission for spectators to watch the finals at 7 p.m. Sunday.