RamtownKarate.com

Jr. Olympics Update: April 2, 2010

Top Row: Coach Jim Ernest, Brandon Divine, Coach Nicole Umphenour, Coach Charlie Ernest, Bryce Emigh, Brandon Castillo, Coach Kathy Ernest. Lower Row: Tyler Kim, Brad Immel, Taylor Schene, Harlee Bingamon, Angelina Castille, Marco Baldwin, Jeremy Cristobal, and Keegan Divine.

Brad Immel (above) and Taylor Schene (below) battle in Las Vegas.

With over 1200 entries and athletes from over 40 countries, Ramtown Karate dove into the 2010 Junior Olympics with both feet. The venue was Caesars, Las Vegas, home to some of the greatest sports events in the world, and hosted by USA Karate, the official organization representing karate to the US Olympic Committee. The air was thick with tension as athletes from as far as Kazetstan and Ukraine stepped onto the floor to test their skill and take a chance to be recognized as a Junior Olympics karate champion. Patriotic cheers from the different counties took over as the event began. The Ramtown team had 11 athletes on the floor, and by the end of the day had 6 medals to show for their efforts.
In the Intermediate Kumite (sparring) divisions, Ramtown’s Bryce Emigh took the only silver of the day with a second place medal, and was joined by brothers Brandon and Keegan Divine who took a thirds.
In the novice kata divisions, Brad Immel and Taylor Schene took third place medals by demonstrating the forms of Shorinryu karate.  In novice sparring, the third place medal was won by Taylor Schene.
It was a long day and the competition was as high as it gets for Dixon’s young karate athletes. Ramtown coaches Jim and Kathy Ernest, Charlie Ernest, Nicole Umphenour, and Pete and Theresa Cristobal reminded the team that they had just competed against the best young sport karate athletes in the world, and that some of these athletes would be tomorrow’s world champions, or, are some of the future champions right here in Dixon, California? These medals are the result of the entire Ramtown team’s hard work for the past months, including the team members who did not travel this time, reminded the Ramtown coaches.