Kelema Cabatingan (left) of Ohana Martial Arts takes on teammate Jonah Tapaoan during the 15-17 advanced sparring final at the Hawaiian Karate Championships on April 29 in Pearl City, Oahu. Cabatingan won the title. Courtesy photo

The Maui News

After three years of missing the event due to COVID, the Ohana Martial Arts competition team from Kahului returned victoriously to Oahu for the 2023 Hawaiian Karate Championships on April 29.

The individual headliner for OMA was Lopaka Carroll, who claimed the grand champion title for open weights.

OMA placed first in the team competition by claiming 19 first-place finishes, 15 seconds and 10 thirds. The competition drew competitors from all the Hawaiian islands, competing in Kumite (sparring), Kata (forms) and Eskrima (stick fighting) to the Pearl City High School gym — the event drew approximately 200 competitors.

The Ohana Martial Arts team of 23 fighters took home medals from the following divisions:

In Kumite competition, in the men’s 35 division, David Hastilow and Ryan Duffy each won titles; in the women’s 35 division, Rachel Hastilow was first, Taylor Halbritter was second and Donna Apana took third; in the men 18-34 division, Carroll took first; in the boys 15-17 advanced division, Kelema Cabatingan was first, Jonah Tapaoan was second and Mark Tamayo third; in girls 15-17 advanced, Yessenia Casillas was first and Keisha Caliva was second; in boys 12-14 advanced, Jraeden Mendoza finished second; in girls 12-14 advanced, Yemilet Casillas took first and Jesse Carpenter was third; in boys 12-14 intermediate, Corey Swatek was first, Aiden Durr was second and Jeymend Raquino third; in boys 9-11 advanced, Kai Caliva took second and Luke Merantza third; and in boys 7-8 advanced, Peyton Matsui finished first.

In Kata competition, in the 18 men/women division, Rachel Hastilow was first and David Hastilow was second; in 13-17 boys advanced, Tapaoan won, Michael Tamayo finished second and Mark Tamayo was third; in boys 12-under advanced first division Mendoza won and Raquino was second; and in boys 12-under advanced second division, Kai Caliva took first, Merantza was second and Aiden Goss third.

In Eskrima competition, in the heavyweight advanced, David Hastilow finished second; in middleweight advanced, Carroll won and Duffy was second; in women open weight, Shayla Uweko’olani won and Halbritter was second; in youth 15-17 open, Cabatingan was first, while Mark Tamayo and Tapaoan were each second; in youth 11-14 open, Yemilet Casillas finished first; and in youth 10-under open, Kai Caliva won, Goss was second and Matsui was third.