Essex County Karate Students Medal In World Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: July 2, 2025 Contact: Chris Lynch, 973-748-5282or EssexShukokaiKarate@gmail.com

Local Essex Shukokai Karate Competitors Take Medals in World Tournament Järvenpää, Finland — Two local students of Essex Shukokai Karate earned medals at a recent Kimura Shukokai International (KSI) world tournament held in late-June in Järvenpää, Finland. Taryn Gilbert and Dojo Manager Chris Lynch brought home a gold and bronze medal respectively for Kumite (fighting) and Kata (forms). “I couldn’t be more proud of these two phenomenal athletes. They trained hard, and it paid off,” said Sensei Justin DeSalvo, who, along with his wife and co-owner Lynn DeSalvo, trained the competitors leading up to the world tournament. “We had seven competitors from our karate school who competed as part of Team USA, which sent a total of 39 competitors to Finland,” he noted. Kimura Shukokai International (KSI) holds world tournaments once every two years. This year’s live-streamed event was held in Järvenpää, Finland, and had 600 total competitors from 20 countries participating on seven tatamis (rings) across three days. Two hundred medals were awarded. Team USA earned 18 of those medals and finished third overall by country with 10 Gold medals. Essex Shukokai Karate participants in the Kimura Shukokai International (KSI) event include: Taryn Gilbert (14), Leila Gilbert (19), Amber Gilbert (50), Chris Lynch (50), Shivani Swaminathan (19), Krisan Swaminathan (51), and Steven Zweig (58). You can see that karate is for all ages! Shukokai karate is a Japanese mixed-martial art. Essex Shukokai Karate is located at 855 Bloomfield Avenue in Glen Ridge, NJ. For more information about the dojo and the martial art, visit essexshukokaikarate.com.