The Plant City school won 33 medals at the 2016 AAU National Championships.
One of the top 20 AAU karate teams in the nation is right here in Plant City.
Chris Welbon Karate Clubs received top 20 honors for the third year in a row, coming off of a stellar performance at the 2016 AAU National Championships in Fort Lauderdale. The team competed from Thursday, July 7 though Saturday, July 9, and racked up 33 medals – enough to give the school its highest medal count ever for a single season.
AAU championship total: 33 medals (10 gold, four silver, 19 bronze)
Season total: 228 medals (70 gold, 52 silver, 106 bronze)
AAU National Champions: 10
AAU State Champions: 11
Winners:
Jakob Arnold (Male 18-34 Advanced): Bronze – Team Kumite
Gianna Ayuso (Female 9 Beginner): Gold – Sanbon Kumite; Bronze – Kata
Emmarie Gaudet (Female 15 Advanced): Bronze – Team Kumite
Sarah Jane Hooker (Female 11 Beginner): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Nick Karlson (Male 12 Intermediate): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Julie Karlson (Female 13 Intermediate): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite, Team Kumite
Kaitlyn Maddox (Female 11 Novice): Gold – Kata
McKenna Mays (Female 14 Novice): Gold – Kata, Sanbon Kumite; Bronze – Kobudo, Team Kumite
Matt Melisi (Male 45-54 Advanced): Gold – Kumite; Silver – Kata; Bronze – Team Kumite
Fernando Melendez (Male 14 Intermediate): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Brady Michael (Male 15 Intermediate): Silver – Sanbon Kumite; Bronze – Kata
Sebastian Padron (Male 12 Intermediate): Gold – Sanbon Kumite
Cole Starling (Male 15 Novice): Gold – Kata, Sanbon Kumite
Jordan Smith (Female 8 Beginner): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Joey Spitler (Male 13 Intermediate): Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Sydney Swartman (Female 14 Intermediate): Silver – Kata; Bronze – Sanbon Kumite, Team Kumite
Gage Torgerson (Male 14 Intermediate): Gold – Kata; Bronze – Sanbon Kumite
Darius Way (Male 18-34 Intermediate): Gold – Sanbon Kumite; Bronze – Kobudo, Kata, Team Kumite
Elijah West (Male 9 Novice): Silver – Kata
