Ohio Teen Wins Silver Medals in Karate World Championships

Jason Nishime, 19, of Cincinnati, Ohio won two silver medals and a bronze medal at the World Karate Conference Jr. World Championships in Darmstadt, Germany.

(PRWEB) November 24, 2004 -- Nineteen year-old Jason Nishime of Colerain Township returned from Darmstadt, Germany last week with some special souvenirs - two silver medals and a bronze medals from the World Karate Confederation's Junior World Championship held October 22-24, 2004. Jason attended this prestigious event as part of the Amateur Athletic Union's 25 member Junior National Team. The tournament, which is held every two years, featured 1400 competitors ages 15-20 from over 50 countries.

Jason won his silver medal in fighting in the 18-20 year old heavy weight division (78 kg and up) in the championship round against D Skrbo of the Republic of Sprska. He also won a bronze in kata (forms) and a silver in team fighting with team members Masakazu Kurita of Hawaii, Robert Riethmeier of California, and Aaron Dubnow of Illinois, beating teams from Serbia and Italy. Together, the AAU team won 12 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze, giving them the second highest medal count of the competition.

Team members for the AAU U.S. National Karate Team are selected based on their results at State, Regional, and National tournaments. The State and Regional Championships qualify athletes to the National Championships, which were held this past June in Winston-Salem North Carolina. The top three competitors in each division at the Nationals were then invited to attend a special training camp in Chicago, Illinois in August to try out for the team. Fifty-five competitors from across the United States attended the camp and 25 were chosen to compete in Germany.

Jason is an instructor at Nishime Family Karate in Monfort Heights where he has been learning Karate from his father, Kiyoshi Nishime, since the age of five. He is currently training with his older brother, Ben Nishime, in preparation for the WKC's World Championsips to be held in Fortaleza, Brazil in June 2005.

Pictures Attached:
Training Picture: Jason Nishime (right) trains for the World Karate Championships with the help of his coach and dad, Kiyoshi Nishime
Medal Picture: Jason Nishime displays two Silver Medals and a Bronze Medal he won at the Jr. World Karate Championships in Germany.

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