Karate superstar Ethan Wachsman continues to dominate on a world stage. Last month, the Roslyn resident competed in the Junior Pan American Karate Championship in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Top karate athletes from over 20 nations across North and South America engaged in fierce competition for themselves and for their countries in the multi-continent championship. This was Wachsman’s first overseas international competition and his first opportunity to represent the United States as part of the U.S. Junior National Karate Team. Competing against the best junior athletes from Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Canada and other countries, Wachsman earned a bronze medal.
“It’s an amazing experience to be part of a team like this,” Wachsman said. The high point of the tournament was when Wachsman and the entire junior team gathered to sing the national anthem, as the United States won the overall medal count for this event for the first time since 2007.
These remarkable group of athletes bonded and supported one another with the guidance of an experienced and motivating group of elite coaches, including Christina Muccini from Tokey Hill Martial Arts in Port Washington, where Wachsman trains regularly.
In honor of this trip, Wachsman raised over $1,000 to support relief efforts for victims of the earthquake which decimated much of coastal Ecuador in April 2016. Wachsman said that
he plans to continue his charitable endeavors whenever he competes internationally.