International Karate League Karate Championship Results

After a four-year hiatus, Kona’s longest running and popular Karate competition returned for its 16th edition.  On Saturday, November 4, 2023, the 16th Annual International Karate League (IKL) Karate Championship was held at the Kekuaokalani Gymnasium in Kailua-Kona with 84 competitors of various age groups from Karate schools around the Big Island and the State of Hawaiʻi.

“After a 4 year absence, I was very pleased with the strong turnout of participants and supporters,” said Tournament Director Julian SHIROMA.  “We are also happy that the overwhelming majority of the participants were youth from 6 to 15 years old, because traditional Karate can be very beneficial for their personal development.”

The tournament featured competition in three events:  Kata (Forms), Kobudo (Weapons), and Kumite (Sparring).   

Tying for the Most Outstanding Karate Competitor Perpetual Trophy was Jenna Shiroma of the IKL Captain Cook Dojo and Jace Shiroma of the IKL Captain Cook Dojo.  Jenna placed first in the Blackbelt Womenʻs Kata, Kumite and Kobudo divisions, while Jace placed first in the Blackbelt Menʻs Kata, Kumite and Kobudo divisions.

Winning the Most Outstanding Dojo Perpetual Trophy was the Captain Cook Dojo (IKL) with 59 points, the World Karate Academy was 2^nd with 53 points, and the Keaau Dojo (IKL) was 3^rd with 46 points.   

Individual results of the tournament are as follows:

KATA (FORMS) COMPETITION:

Junior Division:

Kata Junior White Belts 6-7

1^st Place – Dante Leonardo – WKA Waimea Dojo

2^nd Place – Sandy Speidal – WKA Hakalau Dojo

Kata Junior White Belts 8

1^st Place – Jordan Jaban – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

2^nd Place – Yui Watanabe – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

3^rd Place – Colt Deniz – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

Kata Junior White Belts 9-10

1^st Place – Leia Kamanu – WKA Waimea Dojo

2^nd Place – Ayden Dews – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

3^rd Place – Isaac Dayawon – IKL Hilo Armory Dojo

4^th Place – Kai Valenzuela – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

Kata Junior White Belts 11

1^st Place – Annika Schmidt – WKA Waimea Dojo

2^nd Place – Kaylei Corpuz-Matias – Hawaii Wado Karate Assoc.

3^rd Place – Laeloa Deniz – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

Kata Junior White Belts 12-13

1^st Place – Kaohu Deniz – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

2^nd Place – Ezekiel Bradley – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

Kata Junior Purple Belt 7-8

1^st Place – Austin Lai – IKL Captain Cook

2^nd Place – Aria Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

3^rd Place – Luke Garrison – Hawaii Wado Karate Assoc.

Kata Junior Purple Belt 9

1^st Place – Troy Kawamura – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

2^nd Place – Mie Funakoshi – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

3^rd Place – Amara Arruda-New – Hawaii Wado Karate Assoc.

4^th Place – Toby Dacquel – IKL Honokaa Dojo

Kata Junior Purple Belt 10

1^st Place – Brooklyn Manasas – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

2^nd Place – Kai Swindler – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

3^rd Place – Ariana Sabado – IKL Sho-En Kan Mililani Dojo

Kata Junior Purple Belt 11-12

1^st Place – Torin Okamoto – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

2^nd Place – Clancy Lauer – IKL Hilo Bay Dojo

Kata Junior Green Belt 8-9

1^st Place – Jeziel Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo 

2^nd Place – Sophia Blair – WKA Hakalau Dojo

3^rd Place – Lino Kamakau III – IKL Captain Cook

Kata Junior Green Belt 10-11

1^st Place – Braeden Peck – IKL Waimea Dojo

2^nd Place – Ricky Lundberg – WKA Waimea Dojo

3^rd Place – Wesley Mina – IKL Keaau Dojo

Kata Junior Green Belt 12-13

1^st Place – Wilbur Mina Jr. – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Rydin Sabado – IKL Sho-En Kan Mililani Dojo

3^rd Place – Caleb Tevaga – IKL Hilo Bay Dojo

Kata Junior Green Belt 14

1^st Place – Gabriel Oliveros – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Zaylen Miyasaki – IKL Honokaa Dojo

3^rd Place – Tryston Asuncion – IKL Honokaa Dojo

Kata Junior Blue Belts 10-11

1^st Place – Brooke Blair – WKA Hakalau Dojo

2^nd Place – Zoe Marshall – WKA Hakalau Dojo

3^rd Place – Lilia Lundberg – WKA Hakalau Dojo

4^th Place – Zais Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

Kata Junior Blue Belts 12-14

1^st Place – Michael Juan – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Logan Ahuna-Alofaituli – IKL Keaau Dojo

3^rd Place – Jackson Garey – IKL Paauilo Dojo

Kata Junior Brown Belts 12-14

1^st Place – Daniel Garey – IKL Paauilo Dojo

2^nd Place – Shane Nguyen – Hawaii Kobudo League

Open Division:

Kata Open White Belt

1^st Place – Alvin Pagan – IKL Hilo Armory Dojo

2^nd Place – Janet Dayawon – IKL Hilo Armory Dojo

3^rd Place – Desirae Chacon – Hawaii Wado Karate Assoc.

Kata Open Green Belt

1^st Place – Brooklyn-Haley Maltezo – IKL Honokaa Dojo

2^nd Place – Mirtha Oliveros – IKL Keaau Dojo

3^rd Place – Wynn-Tessa Gold – IKL Honokaa Dojo

Kata Open Blue Belt

1^st Place – Isaac Kawamoto – IKL Kohala Dojo

2^nd Place – Elissa-Kaitlyn Gold – IKL Honokaa Dojo

Kata Open Brown Belt Women

1^st Place – Janice Quebral – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Andra Tejero – IKL McCully Dojo

3^rd Place – Denise deBeer – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

Kata Open Brown Belt Men

1^st Place – Alexander Kwak – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

2^nd Place – Isaiah Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

3^rd Place – Arzel Bautista – Hawaii Kobudo League

Kata Black Belt Senior Women

1^st Place – Masako Janeway – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

2^nd Place – Erin Mina – IKL Keaau Dojo

3^rd Place – MJ Matsushita – IKL Waiokeola Dojo

Kata Black Belt Senior Men

1^st Place – Dane Acdal – IKL Honokaa Dojo

2^nd Place – Hansen Kapeliela – IKL Kohala Dojo

3^rd Place – Richard deBeer – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

Kata Black Belt Women Open

1^st Place – Jenna Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook

2^nd Place – Britt Hurley – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

3^rd Place – Mika Motoki – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

Kata Black Belt Men Open

1^st Place – Jace Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook

2^nd Place – Garrison Hiramatsu – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

3^rd Place – Landon Harada – IKL Waimea Dojo

4^th Place – Ryan Mears – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

KOBUDO (WEAPONS) COMPETITION

Kobudo Junior Novice

1^st Place – Jeziel Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

2^nd Place – Lino Kamakau III – IKL Captain Cook

Kobudo Junior Intermediate/Advanced

1^st Place – Jackson Garey – IKL Paauilo Dojo

2^nd Place – Zais Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

Kobudo Open Colored Belt

1^st Place – Isaac Kawamoto – IKL Kohala Dojo

Kobudo Women Open Advanced

1^st Place – Jenna Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook

2^nd Place – Masako Janeway – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

3^rd Place – Denise deBeer – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

Kobudo Men Masters Division  

1^st Place – Hansen Kapeliela – IKL Kohala Dojo

2^nd Place – Richard deBeer – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

Kobudo Men Open Advanced

1^st Place – Jace Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

2^nd Place – Isaiah Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

3^rd Place – Alexander Kwak – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

KUMITE (SPARRING) COMPETITION:

Junior Division:

Kumite Beginner/Novice Junior Pee Wee

1^st Place – Sophia Blair – WKA Hakalau Dojo

2^nd Place – Lino Kamakau III – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

3^rd Place – Jordan Jaban – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

Kumite Beginner/Novice Junior Lightweight

1^st Place – Brooke Blair – WKA Hakalau Dojo

2^nd Place – Jeziel Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

3^rd Place – Ricky Lundberg – WKA Hakalau Dojo

Kumite Beginner/Novice Junior Middleweight

1^st Place – Christian Horvath – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Laeloa Deniz – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

3^rd Place – Kai Swindler – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

Kumite Beginner/Novice Junior Heavyweight

1^st Place – Zaylen Miyasaki – IKL Honokaa Dojo

2^nd Place – Tryston Asuncion – IKL Honokaa Dojo

3^rd Place – Wilbur Mina Jr. – IKL Keaau Dojo

Kumite Intermediate/Advanced Junior Lightweight

1^st Place – Lilia Lundberg – WKA Hakalau Dojo

2^nd Place – Zais Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

3^rd Place – Zoe Marshall – WKA Hakalau Dojo

Kumite Intermediate/Advanced Junior Middleweight

1^st Place – Logan Ahuna-Alofaituli – IKL Keaau Dojo

2^nd Place – Michael Juan – IKL Keaau Dojo 

3^rd Place – Shane Nguyen – Hawaii Kobudo League

Kumite Intermediate/Advanced Junior Heavyweight

1^st Place – Arzel Bautista – Hawaii Kobudo League

2^nd Place – Ryan Mears – IKL Kailua-Kona Dojo

3^rd Place – Isaiah Lun – IKL Paauilo Dojo

Open Division:

Kumite Colored Belt Women

1^st Place – Brooklyn-Haley Maltezo – IKL Honokaa Dojo

2^nd Place – Elissa-Kaitlyn Gold – IKL Honokaa Dojo

3^rd Place – Wynn-Tessa Gold – IKL Honokaa Dojo

Kumite Colored Belt Men

1^st Place – Alvin Pagan – IKL Hilo Armory Dojo

2^nd Place – Isaac Kawamoto – IKL Kohala Dojo

Kumite Brown & Black Women Open

1^st Place – Jenna Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook Dojo 

2^nd Place – Janice Quebral – IKL Keaau Dojo

3^rd Place – Andra Tejero – IKL McCully Dojo

Kumite Black Belt Senior Men Open

1^st Place – Jason Young Hu – Hawaii Wado Karate Assoc.

2^nd Place – Richard deBeer – Shotokan Karate Intʻl Federation

Kumite Black Belt Men Open

1^st Place – Jace Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

2^nd Place – Garrison Hiramatsu – IKL Shinshu Kyokai Dojo

Most Outstanding Competitor Perpetual Trophy: 

Co-winner:  Jenna Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

Co-winner:  Jace Shiroma – IKL Captain Cook Dojo

Most Outstanding Dojo Perpetual Trophy: 

1^st Place – IKL Captain Cook Dojo – 59 points

2^nd Place – World Karate Academy – 53 points

3^rd Place – IKL Keaau Dojo – 46 points

The event was hosted by the IKL’s two dojos in Kona.  The Captain Cook Dojo is under the direction of Sensei Jenna SHIROMA, and the Kailua-Kona Dojo is under Sensei Roland YAMAMOTO.  The IKL, with dojos across the State of Hawaiʻi and various mainland states, is headed by its Founder and Chief Instructor, Shihan (Master) Walter K. NISHIOKA, who resides in Pearl City, Hawaiʻi.