Glen Head Martial Arts and Fitness is home to two national champions, both of whom have the opportunity to represent the country next year.
Gloria Rosendo, 21, won her third consecutive national title, qualifying her for the 2026 USA Team trials, and 12-year-old Mia Finegan won a title, securing her spot on the 2026 Junior National Team.
“I just love karate. I love competing, and I really want to win, so that keeps me motivated,” said Finegan, a Port Washington resident, who started karate at five years old.
At the 2025 USA Karate Nationals, hosted in Fort Worth, Texas, Rosendo and Finegan showcased their passion for the sport, with both of them earning first place in their age and weight class divisions.
Finegan’s performance in Texas earned her a spot on the Junior National Team, and she will compete next month at the 2026 Junior Pan American Championships. This year, Finegan stepped into a new age category, marking the first year at nationals where she had the opportunity to qualify for Team USA.
Although it was “nerve-wracking” to have so much riding on her performance, Finegan said she “believed that she could win.”
Finegan said she took a brief break from competitions in 2021 and was all the more motivated when she returned to continue winning.
Her parents are both former Team USA members, and she said their dedication to the sport helped foster her own passion for it.
Rosendo’s victory in the national competition earned her a spot at the 2026 Senior National Team trials, where she will compete against five others to represent Team USA. Her performance in the national competition marks her third consecutive win at the national level.
“She’s putting herself on a very special list of Americans, as far as being able to do that,” said Brian Ramrup, who owns and coaches at the Glen Head fitness studio. He said Rosendo fights “like a warrior.”
Rosendo said it was “nerve-wracking” to defend her own title, but that it’s “all about how you prepare.” She said that leading up to a match, she completes a routine to calm her nerves and help her feel ready.
“If you did it once, you can do it again,” she said.
In the final match, Rosendo said she was down 5-2 and had to dig deep to come out victorious. During the match, Rosendo said she learned to use her opponent’s weaknesses to her advantage, playing a “game of chess” while calculating her next best move.
Rosendo, a Queens resident, said she loves to compete because it’s a balance between “pushing your body to its limits and feeling amazed on how many things your body can do.”
She said she first took karate lessons at five years old before quitting the sport and resuming at age 15. Now, Rosendo also teaches at the Glen Head studio and said that teaching others the sport helps her maintain her technique and form.
Both Rosendo and Finegan said they feel motivated by the team of people they train with, who push them to better themselves.
“You’re not alone; you have people watching your back and supporting you,” Rosendo said.
Rosendo said that as she prepares for the senior trials, she will be competing in local competitions to get more experience and better her technique.
Finegan said that next month she will be competing in Paraguay at the 2026 Junior Pan American Championships, and after that, she hopes to compete at the international level in Venice.
“The job’s not finished,” Finegan said. “I still have another tournament to go.”
Ramrup said he hopes to help Rosendo and Finegan hone their martial arts skills and develop strong characters and work ethics.
“They are two of the toughest out there,” he said.
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