Karate school sends seven to nationals.
The 2017 U.S. Karate Championships and Team Trials are set to begin today in Greenville, South Carolina.
The annual event features competition for all ages and skill levels and serves as a selection process for the members of the nation’s Junior and Senior National Teams.
In addition to top-level competition, the event is also hosting a number of seminars and courses for attending athletes and instructors.
Each year, the National Championships continue to grow and reassure its reputation as the premier domestic karate event in the United States, according to its website.
This year, the event will play host to a number of local athletes, who will be testing their skills against some of the best from across the nation.
The seven participants and Imperial Valley natives all come out of Seiden Kai Karate School in Calexico and represent a variety of ages and experience.
Oscar Diaz will be participating and competing in the 45-year-old division, while Leonardo Castro, a 22-year-old brown belt, will be competing against others at the same level as himself.
Additional athletes include Julio Romero, a 15-year-old black belt, Antonio Garcia, another 15-year-old black belt and Zianya Louie, a 14-year-old black belt.
Also making the trip to South Carolina are Oscar Diaz Jr., a 13-yearold brown belt and Alexandra Diaz, a 10-year-old brown belt.
Read about how the students fared at the national competition following the event’s conclusion on Sunday in upcoming editions of the Imperial Valley Press.