GARNER, N.C. -- Eleven-year-old Serafina Fish gears up.

  • Fish began liking karate six years ago.
  • After winning a few tournaments, Serafina said she started competing at a higher level.
  • On June 8 of this year, Serafina won a national title at the World Karate Commission USA Nationals in Detroit.

Shin guards. Chest protector. Boots. Gloves. Helmet. A final check of her helmet strap from her father. Then she's on the mat with eight other students, some of them towering over her. For the next 30 minutes, she trades blows with all of them.

It's a journey that started six years ago, when a friend invited Serafina to one of her karate classes. Serafina instantly liked what she saw.

“They were sparring, and I told my dad I want to do that,” she said.

Serafina learned the basics of Shotokan karate. Her father, Jim, said he at first thought she would try it for a few months and then tire of it. Instead, she pushed herself into competition.

“From that day on, she's been more committed to this than anything I would have ever imagined,” he said.

After winning a few tournaments, Serafina said she started competing at a higher level. She now trains three to four times per week at Snap Kick Martial Arts in Garner and heads to Virginia each month for one-on-one training.

The training paid off. On June 8 of this year, Serafina won a national title at the World Karate Commission USA Nationals in Detroit. At that point, the WKC's USA chapter invited her to represent Team USA at the WKC World Championships in November.

“It's nerve-wracking, but I think it's gonna be awesome, also, because I get to meet new people and go against them,” she said.

This year's WKC World Championships run from November 2 to November 8 in Niagara Falls, New York. After that, Serafina said she has her eye on the Olympics. Karate makes its Olympic debut at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo next year. If it becomes a regular part of the program, she said she wants to represent Team USA.