U.S. National Karate Championships: Amity School Wins 13 Medals

With their impressive kicks, punches, and karate routines, 13 of Brooklyn Amity School‘s after-school karate program athletes were awarded with medals at the 2012 USA National Karate Championships and U.S. Team Trials.

The championships, which took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, featured three days of competitive karate moves and performances. It was the largest National Karate Championships, with 1,486 competitors and about 100 karate clubs participating. This is the first time that Amity School took part in the national championships, sending students ranging in age from as young as six to as old as 17.

Of the 13 Amity School victors, five emerged as first-place winners with gold medals, five in second with silvers, and three in third with bronzes.

“These kinds of results are clearly derived from the hard work and commitment of the students’ and their tireless instructor Sensei Meral Olmez, a two-time World Karate Champion,” a representative of the school said in a statement. “Her commitment to excellence undeniably reflects on her students’ enthusiasm and dedication.”

Amity School’s director, Cengiz Karabekmez, personally helped raise funds to send the kids to Florida, securing full sponsorship for the students to make the trip possible. Right after the Fort Lauderdale event wrapped up, several students went on to attend pre-college programs at prestigious institutions including Harvard University, Junior State of America at Georgetown and Fordham University.

Congratulations to Sensei Olmez and the Brooklyn Amity School karate team!

The Amity students awarded medals are as follows:

Gold Medalists:
1- Elif Yargic (Kata)
2- Nursema Gunduz (Kata)
3- Elif Yargic (Kumite)
4- Nursema Gunduz (Kumite)
5- Mucella Bursal (Kumite)

Silver Medalists:
1- Izabella Bajraktarevic (Kumite)
2- Mucella Bursal (Kata)
3- Hayrunnisa Kalac (Kata)
4- Zeynep Kurt (Kumite)
5- Emine Ustundag (Kumite)

Bronze Medalists:
1- Sarah Marin (Kata)
2- Zeynep Kurt (Kata)
3- Hayrunnisa Kalac (Kumite)

All photos courtesy of Brooklyn Amity School:

Correction (4:52 p.m.): The original version of this article indicated that Sensei Meral Olmez previously won four medals. She actually won two. We regret the confusion.