SAKURA KOKUMAI – MY JOURNEY TO THE OLYMPICS

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ABOUT SAKURA KOKOMAI

Individual athletes’ journeys to the Olympics are as unique as their careers.

SAKURA KOKUMAI TELLS HER STORY HERE: 

I have been a kata karate athlete since I was seven. It is my way of life, and I fall in love with the sport all over again and again. At 14, I made the Junior National team and have been representing the USA on the Karate National Team ever since. Today, I am a ten-time Junior/Senior Pan American Champion, and four-time Junior and eight-time Senior USA National Champion. I always loved traveling to international events with my teammates, but as I got older, I started to set bigger goals for myself. I completed my Master’s in International Relations at Waseda University and started working.

Then, in August 2016, everything changed: karate became an Olympic sport for 2020. That is when I left my job. Currently, I am coaching myself. I found a sponsor in Panasonic. The Tokyo Olympics are my one shot at becoming the first Karate Olympic medallist, and I will not let it pass.

Photo credit: Xavier Servolle from KPhotos

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Video credit: Mike Saijo

Author:

  • Behind ShePower Sport are two sport medical professionals, Yoko Dozono and Katharina Grimm. With their combined global sporting background, some of which include Director of Medical affairs at Aspetar, member of Medicine & Science at World Anti-Doping Agency, heading the FIFA medical office, and an international level athlete, they are strong advocates for clean sports and female athletes’ health and rights.