by Renshi Riaan Van Dyk – Coach/Instructor

Members representing El Dorado Springs Karate and their coach traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in two very prestige traditional karate tournaments, the Junior International Cup and the Ozawa International Karate Championships.

First on the tournament agenda was the Junior International Cup. Open to both domestic and international youth traditional karate competitors with more then thirty countries represented, the Junior International Cup tournament was full of karate competitors of high skill and who competing at a very high level.

We here at El Dorado Springs Karate Club are honored to have had three of our own Cedar County Youths that attended and competed in the Junior International Cup, the biggest International Karate Tournament in the United States, hosted by the U.S.A.N.K.F. (United State of America National karate Federation) and sanctioned by the W.K.F. (World Karate Federation). This years event hosted 38 countries over a 3 day span of Competition. 14 Year old Hunter Malensek, 11 year old Addison Taylor and 10 Year old Jacey Swopes who represented El Dorado Springs Karate Club & Team VDK Elite did themselves, their club, their families and their community proud in the professional way they conducted themselves, by giving their best out on the mat round after round and by each of them placing in the top ten of their respected divisions among some of the best karate talent in the world.

Jacey who before has competed on a national stage competed in her first international event and place very well for a first timer on the international stage. Jacey competed in the Girls 10 Year Old Advanced Kata Division and placed 10th in a her division loosing to the eventual division gold medalist in the elimination rounds.

Addison Taylor who had had much success on the local and regional tournament circuits last year stepped up and took a gigantic leap by not just competing in her first national tournament but in her very first International event did exceptionally well in placing 8th in a stacked Girls 11 Year Old Intermediate Kata Division.

Hunter Malensek has seen competition on the national and international stage but as an under-belt competitor. This would be the first time Hunter would compete as a Black Belt, but what was more impressive was that he made the leap from competing in the Black Belt Advanced Division to competing in the Black Belt Elite Division where he would be competing against the best Black Belt Forms Competitors in the world for his Age.  Competing in a stacked division where there was two pool brackets with 36 competitors in each pool competing to make it to the medal rounds Hunter held his own to make the top 16. Coming in to a now combined bracket after several elimination rounds where Hunter won tough round after tough round, Hunter won a tough bout 3 – 2 against a strong opponent. But Hunter would fall to eventual Gold Medal winner 3 – 2 in the very next round after a very mentally tough round and performance. Hunter did very well and earned a very well deserved 8th Place in a division that drew attention from even the top adult competitors at the tournament. The young teens in this division is sure to be the future of our sport and what a great future it is going to be with a very talent stacked division such as this one.

These three competitors have done well in their first attempt at competing at the USANKF Junior International, but the week of tournaments and competing was not over yet. Next up for these youngsters was the Ozawa Cup International Karate Championships. Many of the worlds best once competed at this event and World Champions in past years have honed their skill and talent at this gathering of Karate’s Best.

With the upcoming Olympic Games in 2020 Tokyo Japan, Karate is being pushed into the spot light publicly since it is a national sport of the host country and has millions of practitioners worldwide. Many of the top talent here in America and the World compete here at the Ozawa Cup to get the top level experience it will take to one day compete at the caliber needed to one day represent their countries at the Olympic Games. These are the goals and dreams of three of our own. Sons and daughters of Cedar County, local youth of El Dorado Springs, Missouri. Jacey, Addison and Hunter.

Jacey Swopes competed in the 10 – 12 Youth Advance Traditional Weapons Division and placed 9th in a talented division. Jacey also competed in the 10 – 12 Girls Advanced Kata Division and placed 8th after competing against some well prepared competitors.

Addison Taylor competed in the 10 – 12 Youth Intermediate Traditional Weapons Division and placed 6th in a large division. She also competed with team mate Jacey Swopes in the 10 – 12 Girls Advanced Kata Division and placed 5th in this division

Currently Hunter Malensek is a Junior Assistant Karate Instructor at El Dorado Springs Karate Club. He began training at an early age of 10 and since earning his Blackbelt has been working very hard to ready for competing in his first U.S.A.N.K.F. Junior International Cup and Ozawa Cup in hopes to one day represent Team USA at the Olympics Games.

Hunter stated, “I wasn’t trying to expect too much to be honest, I knew I was a underdog and the level of competition was going to be tough. I felt very honored to compete with the Elite of the world, representing the USA, my Club and my community. I just wanted to do my best.”

While having great of success in competition over the past three years this was a milestone tournament for the youth rising star. The AAU, Ozawa Cup and the U.S.A.N.K.F. is the pathway to the WKF (World Karate Federation) events towards Team USA and gaining a spot on the selected few for future Olympic Games. Hunter again competed against Elite International competitors and brought his A-Game. On this day Hunter knew what to expect, was ready for the pressure and landed every technique with practiced ease. Hunter did very well and even out lasted and out competed competitors that beat him at the Junior International just a day earlier. Competing the 14 – 15 Boys Black Belt Traditional Weapons Division placing in the top three earning a Bronze Medal.

Competing in the 14 – 15 Boy Black Belt Elite Kata Division he matched his fellow competitors match for match with excellent kata choices and defeated opponent after opponent but fell 3 – 2 in the semi final earning a well earned Bronze Medal again.

We are looking forward to see these competitors grow and are greatly anticipating their return to this event next year. Thank you to all the business owners, individuals, family members and friends of El Dorado Springs Karate Club and it’s competitors by the great support you have shown these youth and the program they belong to. Your continued support makes so much of what we do possible. Thank You.