Three young Elk Grove residents will be on the U.S. Junior Karate Team when it participates this September in the Junior Pan-American Karate Championships in Chile.
Chelcie Limcaco, 14, Benjamin Iwakiri, 12, and Robert Reitheimer, 20, will compete.
While karate is not part of the 2008 Olympics, this championship is sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee, said black-belt John Limcaco, who coaches the teammates at his karate studio at 8946 Vintage Park Drive.
The studio represents the Elk Grove Branch of the International Karate Federation.
Elk Grove resident and fellow student Branden Buentipo, 16, will join Chelcie Limcaco, Benjamin and Reitheimer on the Amateur Athletic Union National Karate Team to compete this November in the Junior World Karate Championships in Mesto, Slovenia. This contest is sponsored by the World Karate Congress.
The young athletes represented their studio and Elk Grove well in two recent competitions. Buentipo earned one silver and four gold medals at the Amateur Athletic Union National Karate Championship on July 1-5 in Albany, N.Y. At the United States Junior Karate Team trials, held July 18-20 in Houston, the Elk Grove karate team earned five gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
Gregorio Rodriguez has graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
Rodriguez, a 2006 graduate of Florin High School, is the son of Elizabeth Rodriguez of Sacramento.
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