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2012 USA Open & Junior Olympic Karate Championships
April 2012 ~ Las Vegas, NV

We had 16 competitors
We took 26 medals total ! (not including participation medals)
5 Gold    6 Silver    15 Bronze   

Competitors from more than 50 African, Asian, European, and Latin American countries and all over the US participated.

First Highlight - Our 8 year-old and younger competitors:

They are all current or former students of Montessori Community School where (with the exception of Ben Vo-Duc) they all started training in our program about a year ago.

  1. Aeddan Winter:
    • 1st Kata, 3rd Kumite (Jr Olympics)
  2. Josiah Barnett:
    • 2nd Kata, 2nd Kumite (Jr Olympics)
    • 3rd Kata, 3rd Kumite (USA Open)
  3. Ben Vo-Duc:
    • 1st Kata (USA Open)
    • 3rd Kata (Jr Olympics)
  4. Max Connor:
    • participation medals
  5. Sam Berard:
    • participation medals

All these kids deserve to be congratulated for their courage and willingness to participate in intense preparation training and two high level international tournaments.

Second Highlights - Our refugee youth competitors (13-17 years old):

  1. Abraham Wali (from the Central African Republic):
    • 1st place Kumite, 3rd Kata (USA Open)
    • 3rd place kumite and 3rd kata (Jr Olympics)
  2. Arnod Nidjigoto (from the Central African Republic):
    • 1st place kata, 2nd kumite (Jr Olympics)
    • 3rd place Kata, 2nd kumite (USA Open)
  3. Nairobi Nidjigoto (from the Central African Republic)
    • 3rd place kata, 3rd kumite (Jr Olympics)
    • 3rd kumite (USA open).
  4. Aristide Reunodji (from Chad)
    • participation medals kata and Kumite (Jr Olympics).

Third Highlight - Our Adult and Other Youth Competitors:

  1. Jennifer Niang (Adult Novice Division)
    • 1st place Kata (USA Open)
  2. Loren Connor (Adult Novice Division)
    • 2nd place Kata, 2nd Kumite (USA Open)
  3. Andrew Lopez (beginner division):
    • 3rd place Kata (Jr Olympics)
  4. Matilda Nexhip (Novice division):
    • 3rd place Kumite (Jr Olympics)
  5. Harvey Nexhip (Novice division)
    • 3rd place kumite (Jr Olympics)
  6. Andy Nou (Intermediate division)
    • 3rd place kumite (USA Open)
  7. Alassane Niang (black belt division)
    • 4th place Kata, 4th place Kumite (USA Open)
    • 4th place Kata, 4th place Kumite (Jr Olympics)
© 2001-2022 Amadou Niang, Salt Lake City, Utah

At IMA-International Budokan we teach traditional Japanese, traditional Shotokan based on the philosophies of the founder of Shotokan karate-do, Gichin Funakoshi. Our students learn in a safe and fun environment, and are taught traditional karate with the use of basics (kihon), forms (kata), and sparring (kumite), and achieve great success in local, national, and international karate tournaments and karate competitions.

National and international karate tournaments include:

  • USA National Championship and Team Qualifiers, Reno, Nevada
  • USA Open Karate Championships, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • IMA Rocky Mountain Karate Championship, Louisville, Colorado
  • IMA North Fork Karate Championship, Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Colorado State Championship, Eagle, Colorado.
  • IMA Annual Championship in Utah, Northwest Recreation Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Intermountain Karate Championship, Park City, Utah

Local karate tournament locations include: Salt Lake City, Park City, UT West Valley City, UT, Cottonwood, UT, Sandy, UT,

Karate classes and competition training are offered at dojos throughout the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, serving: Parleys Canyon, Glendale, The Avenues, Cottonwood, Cottonwood West, Downtown Salt Lake, Murray, Holladay, West Valley, Salt Lake Valley, Sugar House (Sugarhouse), Millcreek, East Millcreek, Canyon Rim, Cottonwood Heights, Mt. Olympus, 9th & 9th, Indian Hills, Emigration Canyon, Harvard-Yale, Yalecrest, Liberty Park, 15th & 15th, University of Utah, Draper, Sandy, East Bench.

Dojo locations for karate lessons and competition classes include:

  • Redwood Recreation Center in West Valley City, Utah - Main Dojo
  • Central City Recreation Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Draper Recreation Center, Draper, UT
  • Northwest Community Center, Salt Lake City, Utah