Rika Usami

Rika Usami (宇佐美 里香, Usami Rika, born February 20, 1986) is a Japanese practitioner in Shito-ryu Karate who is best known for her victory at the 2012 World Karate Championships.[1]

Rika Usami
Born (1986-02-20) February 20, 1986
Tokyo, Japan
Native name宇佐美里香
NationalityJapanese
StyleInoue-ha Shitō-Ryû
TrainerYoshimi Inoue
UniversityKokushikan University
Rika Usami
Medal record
Women's karate
Representing  Japan
World Karate Championships
Paris 2012
Belgrade 2010
Asian Games
Ghangzhou 2010

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, so that helped her a lot when she decided to eventually start practicing Karate herself.

Her first karate tournament was when she was a green belt at 12 years old in elementary school. She didn't participate in big tournaments until at age 15. She first won a big tournament at 17 years old at the national high school championship.[2]

References
  1. "Karate records World Championship 2012". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  2. "Exclusive Interview: Rika Usami - The Undisputed Queen of Karate Kata". Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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