Southern Miss Chop to the Top Karate Club Receives Honors
Thu, 04/06/2023 - 02:33pm | By: April Jordan
From left to right – Chop to the Top Coach Kaitlin Baudier, Takayuki Mikami, founder of the Japan Karate Association American Federation, Javion Comby, and Austin Moore at the 57th annual All-South Karate Championships.
Members of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) “Chop to the Top” Karate Club recently traveled to the 57th annual All-South Karate Championships in Kenner, La. where they brought home honors for their individual member achievements.
USM student Javion Comby, a white belt competitor, placed second in Men’s Beginner Kata (forms) and Men’s Beginner Kuimte (free sparring). Comby also placed third in the open-rank Men’s Collegiate division for both kata and kumite.
USM student Austin Moore, a white belt competitor, placed third in Men’s Beginner Kumite (forms) and later took home the gold medal in open-rank Men’s Collegiate Kumite.
Club coach Kaitlin Baudier, who also competed, took home the silver medal in Women’s Black Belt Kumite.
Coach Baudier said, “Both Javion and Austin have been training hard since they joined the Chop to the Top Karate Club at USM this winter, and their efforts have clearly paid off. They were the only white belts in their division, but they proved to be formidable even when facing a series of much more experienced opponents.”
The Chop to the Top Karate Club was founded in fall 2022 at USM as a student sport club. For more information on the organization, contact kaitlin.baudierFREEMississippi