Pictured are Shihan-Dai Joshua Abbott, Alayna Bunt and Sensei Caleb Abbott.
Local karate athletes win at nationals
Three Byhalia karate athletes recently took one gold and three bronze medals at the AAU National Championships in Greenville, S.C.
In what was her first tournament, 15-year-old, and now, national champion Alayna Bunt won gold in her kata (forms) division, and bronze in kumite (fighting). Her two instructors, 3rd degree blackbelt Sensei Caleb Abbott, and his father, 4th degree ShihanDai Joshua Abbott, both Byhalia residents, rounded out the team and both won bronze in their respective competitions.
Champions Karate’s main dojo is located inside The Love Of Christ Church in Cordova, Tenn., and its satellite location is First Baptist Church of Byhalia, where it meets two times per week.
Although this was Alayna’s initial foray into the tournament world, her two instructors are seasoned competitors.
Caleb is a five-time national champion medalist, and placed fifth in the 2016 World Championships held in Dublin, Ireland.
Josh, in his 35-year competition career, was a 2015 inductee into the U.S.A. Karate Federation Hall of Fame and has stood on the medal platform many times, with over 75 state, regional, and national titles. Additionally, Josh finished fourth in the 2018 World Championships held in Dundee, Scotland.
The strong showing of the local Champions Karate Team secured a spot for both Joshua and Caleb on the AAU National Team in next year’s World Championships, being held for the first time in the U.S.A., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.