David Mejia has been training in Shito Ryu karate for the past six years.  In 2019, he was selected as an alternate for the USA Karate Junior National Team and will be attending USA Karate Senior National Team Trials for Team Kata in January 2020.

David’s accomplishments include:

• 2018 WKF Youth League Bronze Medal – Cancun, Mexico
• 2019 US Open U21 Kata Bronze Medal – Las Vegas, NV
• 2019 WKF Series A Montreal, Cananda
• 2019 USA Karate National Championships U21 Kata Bronze Medal – Chicago, IL
• 2019 USA Karate National Championships Elite Team Kata Gold Medal – Chicago, IL

Alexandre has practiced Karate since 2001, training in Shito Ryu in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
He started to compete in kata at 12 years old and became French National medalist as well as French University Champion at 20 years old.
He then moved to the USA for 1.5 year and performed under the supervision of Coach Hagen allowing him to progress and won several competitions in the US.

A word about Apex Karate Performance:

“I am glad to have the opportunity to be part of this team that provides me so much support, not only in karate.
My former coaches taught me the concepts while Coach Hagen has allowed me to apply and integrate them in my katas by finding the right words and ideas. This has completely changed the way I move and the progress is concrete.”

Alexandre’s Accomplishments include:

– USA National Championships Gold/Silver Medalist – Reno, NV
– New York Open Bronze Medalist – New York City, NY
– Participation to the Paris Open twice
– European University Championship 5th place – Zabljak, Montenegro
– French National University Championships Gold Medalist – Clermont-Ferrand, France
– Nidan (2th Degree Black Belt) – FFKDA

Ismail Rodriguez started his journey at the age of 12. His karate background is with the Okinawan Shorin Ryu-Shorinkan Association and the Okinawan Kobudo Kokusai Rengokai.   “I compete to challenge myself to get better, With everyone working towards the same goal, you have no choice but to work not just harder but smarter..”

Bio coming soon.

Ben Andersen lives and trains in New York City, and is an instructor at (and part-owner of) Edge Martial Arts in Dobbs Ferry, NY. A Goju-Ryu practitioner, Ben has been studying karate since 2000, and his teachers have included Shihan Jim Chillemi, Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura, and Kyoshi Glenn Cunningham, among others. Ben has both a Level 2 Coaching Certification and a Regional Judge B Certification from the USANKF. He is the coach for the Edge Martial Arts competition team, and a proud member of Team Apex! He occasionally posts stuff on Instagram: @hogojudonto

Masaomi Tanaka has trained in Shito Ryu and Gensei Ryu karate. He is a member of the Musashi University Karate Club.

Masaomi’s accomplishments include:

• 2014 Kita Shinetsu High School Championships Individual Kata Bronze Medal
• 2015 All Japan High School Championships
• 2015 JKF Shito Kai Kita Shinetsu Regional Championships Individual Kata Gold Medal
• 2015 JKF Shito Kai National Championships
• 2017 42nd Japan Karatedo Kenshukai National Championships Kata Gold Medal
• 2018 Yoshida Cup Kata Gold Medal, Kobudo Silver Medal
• 2018 43rd Japan Karatedo Kenshukai National Championships Kata Gold Medal
• 2019 44th Japan Karatedo Kenshukai National Championships Kata Gold Medal