Sakura Kokumai is training to become a karate World Champion and to represent USA in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Sakura started karate in Honolulu, Hawaii when she was 8 years old. She started competing internationally at 14, and represented the Jr. USA Karate Team for four years, winning the Jr. Pan American Championships 4 years in a row.

Sakura is currently ranked number 5 in the world! Most recently she won Bronze at the World Championships held in Paris, France, Bronze at the Combat Games in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Gold at the Pan American Olympic festival.

In this episode, we talk about Sakura’s mindset, specifically the night before a tournament and walking into a tournament, the differences in feelings  between winning as a 14 years old and having to win now, different Karate styles and all the meanings behind the kicks and movements and the story behind each one, her rituals to create a presence in martial arts, and much more.

Enjoy!

-Mike