Huntley High School junior Erica Bilderback is currently in Lisbon, Portugal, representing Team USA in The World Shotokan Karate Championship. Bilderback has been training with Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs through the Dundee Township Park District since she was eight years old, and this is her second world championship tournament appearance.
Previously, she received a silver medal at the World Shotokan Karate Championships in 2017. The competition was held in Treviso, Italy, and included participants from 27 countries.
In 2017 Bilderback was selected to be a member of the U.S. Team in both Kata (forms) and Kumite (sparring) for her age group that was composed of other females 14-15 years old. She won the silver medal in individual Kumite.
In 2015, she was an alternate on the U.S. Karate Team. In 2016, she earned a spot on the U.S. Karate Team and participated at the Jr. Pan American Championships in Ecuador for Kumite.
In the current competition she will be taking part in both kata and kumite sections for Team USA.
To follow along with the action, visit https://www.sportdata.org/karate/set-online/veranstaltung_info_main.php?active_menu=calendar&vernr=4441.
Good luck, Erica!
