Gaithersburg Karate Team Wins 16 Medals at 2026 USA Karate Nationals
Gaithersburg, Maryland — Senshi Karate-Do athletes delivered an outstanding performance on the national stage, bringing home 16 medals from the 2026 USA Karate National Championships and Team USA Selection Trials in Spokane, Washington.
Athletes from Senshi Karate-Do competed July 16–19 against karate competitors from across the United States in kata and kumite divisions ranging from Beginner through Elite.
For our students, the trip was about much more than medals. It represented months of training, discipline, sacrifice, courage and learning how to perform under pressure.
16 National Championship Medals for Team Senshi
Team Senshi athletes earned medals across multiple age groups and experience levels.
🥇 Gold Medalists
Dahlia Herron
- Gold — 14 Female Intermediate Kata
- Gold — 14 Female Intermediate Kumite
Rolando Palma
- Gold — 14 Male Intermediate Kumite
Selene Mejia
- Gold — 14 Female Novice Kumite
Abigail Velasquez
- Gold — 12 Female Intermediate Kumite
🥈 Silver Medalists
Aiden Abraham
- Silver — 13 Male Advanced/Elite Team Kumite
Delilah Lopez
- Silver — 15 Female Intermediate Kata
- Silver — 15 Female Intermediate Kumite
Mia Aviles
- Silver — 9 Female Beginner Kumite
🥉 Bronze Medalists
Kylie Neal
- Bronze — 15 Female Advanced Kata
- Bronze — 15 Female Advanced Kumite
Kimberly Portillo
- Bronze — 13 Female Intermediate Kumite
Selene Mejia
- Bronze — 14 Female Novice Kata
Abigail Velasquez
- Bronze — 12 Female Intermediate Kata
Gabriela Argote
- Bronze — 10 Female Novice Kumite
Mia Aviles
- Bronze — 9 Female Beginner Kata
Aiden Abraham Finishes Among the Top 8 in the Nation
One of the weekend’s biggest accomplishments came during the Team USA Selection Trials.
Team Senshi captain Aiden Abraham competed in the highly competitive 14–15 Male Elite -57 kg Kumite division, advancing to the Top 8 in the United States.
The Elite division represents a major step beyond regular tournament competition. Athletes competing in the Team USA Selection Trials are pursuing opportunities to earn positions within the USA Karate national team system and represent the United States internationally.
Aiden also earned a silver medal in Advanced/Elite Team Kumite, adding another national medal to his results from Spokane.
For Team Senshi, developing athletes capable of progressing from local competition to regional, national and eventually international competition is an important part of our competitive program.
More Than Winning Medals
Competition is only one part of what we teach at Senshi Karate.
Standing alone on a national championship floor teaches young athletes lessons that are difficult to reproduce anywhere else.
They learn how to prepare.
They learn how to control their emotions.
They learn how to win with humility.
They learn how to lose without making excuses.
And most importantly, they learn that confidence comes from repeatedly doing difficult things.
Those lessons carry far beyond karate.
Our goal is not simply to create champions on the competition floor. We want to help develop confident, disciplined and respectful young people who are prepared to handle challenges in school, sports and life.
Representing Gaithersburg and Montgomery County
Senshi Karate-Do is proud to represent Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Montgomery County and the State of Maryland at major karate competitions throughout the United States.
Our athletes compete throughout the year at regional tournaments, national championships and international-level events while continuing to train together at our Montgomery Village dojo.
The support from our Senshi parents and families makes these opportunities possible.
Behind every medal are countless practices, early mornings, long drives, flights, hotel stays, equipment, coaching sessions and parents who continue to support their children through both victories and difficult days.
These 16 national medals belong to the entire Senshi family.
Building the Next Generation of Karate Athletes
Some children join Senshi Karate because they want to compete.
Others come because their parents want them to become more confident, focused, disciplined or physically active.
Both paths begin in the same place.
Students learn fundamental karate skills while developing:
- Confidence
- Discipline
- Respect
- Focus
- Self-control
- Physical fitness
- Goal-setting
- Sportsmanship
- Leadership
- Resilience
Students who demonstrate the ability, work ethic and desire to compete can eventually pursue opportunities with Team Senshi, including regional and national competition.
No previous martial arts experience is necessary to begin.
Want Your Child to Experience Karate?
Your child doesn’t have to be a national-level athlete to benefit from karate.
At Senshi Karate-Do, we work with children at every level — from a nervous beginner stepping onto the mat for the first time to athletes competing at the highest levels of USA Karate.
If you’re looking for kids karate classes in Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, Olney or the surrounding Montgomery County area, we invite your child to experience Senshi Karate.
Try a FREE Karate Class
Meet our instructors, see our dojo and discover how karate can help your child become stronger, more confident, disciplined and focused.
Book your free trial class today.