Bringing home the Gold: Shown here are students who brought home awards from the SA Nationals and Team Trials in karate. They are from left to right, Evelyn Largo, Elijah Hintz, Alecia Schwartz, Team Coach Jeff Reach, Samantha Reach, and Portia Fish. USA Martial Arts Florida is located in Lehigh Acres in the Sunshine Shopping Plaza on Homestead Road. Photo special to The Citizen

Students, coaches and parents from USA Martial Arts Florida traveled to Arlington Texas to compete in the USA Nationals and Team Trials recently This event, which is run by the USA National Karate-do Federation also known as the USA Karate (Member of the United States Olympic Committee) is held every year and is the largest Olympic Sport Karate event in the United States, said Jeff Reach, president and chief instructor of US Martial Arts Florida in Lehigh.

With thousands of competitors vying for gold medals and slots on the U.S. Team the competition was very tough, he said. This year USA Martial Arts Florida brought six competitors and every competitor came home with a medal, Reach said. The total medal count was two gold, two silver and five bronze medals.

USA Martial Arts Florida is located in Lehigh Acres in the Sunshine Shopping Plaza on Homestead Road. For more information visit their website at www.usamafl.com or call 239-303-3656, said Reach.