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