Rika Usami

Rika Usami
Born (1986-02-20) February 20, 1986 (age 40)
Tokyo, Japan
Native name宇佐美里香
NationalityJapanese
StyleShitō-ryū
TrainerYoshimi Inoue
Other information
UniversityKokushikan University
Rika Usami
Medal record
Women's karate
Representing  Japan
World Karate Championships
Gold medal – first placeParis 2012
Bronze medal – third placeBelgrade 2010
Asian Games
Gold medal – first placeGuangzhou 2010

Rika Usami (宇佐美 里香, Usami Rika; born February 20, 1986) is a Japanese karateka. She won a Gold medal in individual kata at the 2012 World Karate Championships after previously winning Bronze at the 2010 Championships. She also won Gold in the same category at the 2010 Asian Games. As of March 2021, Usami is coaching the karate team at Kokushikan University.

Early life

Usami was born on February 20, 1986, in Tokyo, Japan. She had said in an interview that she started karate when she was 10 years old by joining a Goju-ryu-style dojo located near her family's house in Tokyo, after seeing a female fighter on television. Her older brother had been practicing karate and let Usami wear his karate gi on occasions, resulting in helping her a lot when she decided to eventually start practicing karate herself.

Usami's first karate tournament was when she was a green belt at 12 years old in elementary school. Usami did not participate in major tournaments until age 15 and won her first tournament at 17 years old at the All Japan High School Karatedo Championships.

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenueRankEvent
2003 30th Japan National High School Karatedo Championships Sasebo 1st
2005 4th World Junior & Cadet Karatedo Championships Cyprus 1st
2006 8th Asian Junior & Cadet Karatedo Championships Singapore 1st
2007 35th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships [ja] 1st Individual kata
2007 51st All Japan Universities' Karatedo Championship 1st Individual kata
2007 36th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships 2nd Individual kata
2008 37th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships 1st Individual kata
2009 Asian Karate Championships Foshan, China 1st Individual kata
2010 38th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships 1st Individual kata
2011 39th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships 1st Individual kata
2012 40th Japan Cup Karatedo Championships Japan 1st Individual kata
2012 21st World Championships Paris, France 1st Individual kata

Publications

References

  1. ↑ "Karate records World Championship 2012". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Usami, Rika: coach, class of 2007, the 43rd alumna : "Staffs" (in Japanese). Karate Team, Kokushikan University. Retrieved 2021-04-26..
  3. ↑ "Exclusive Interview: Rika Usami - The Undisputed Queen of Karate Kata". 21 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  4. ↑ "大会結果・第30回全国高等学校空手道選手権大会" [Results : the 30th All Japan High School Karatedo Championships]. www.jkf-hs.com 公益財団法人 全国高等学校体育連盟空手道専門部 [The Section of Karatedo, All Japan High School Athletics Federation] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  5. ↑ [全日本空手道選手権大会 栄光の記録（入賞者一覧）] [Results]. Japan Karatedo Federation (JKF) 公益財団法人 全日本空手道連盟 (in Japanese). 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  6. ↑ 第51回全日本学生空手道選手権大会並びに東西対抗戦(DVD) [The 51st All Japan University Karatedo Championship with Kanto vs. Kansai Karatedo Game (DVD)]. Champ-Shop. Retrieved 2021-04-27.