Rasul, Waltman earn European trip

Staff report

In October, two of the area’s top martial artists will travel to Europe to compete in the World Union Karate Do Federation World Championships in Szczecin, Poland.

Muhammad Rasul, 19, and Stephanie Waltman, 17, have been named to the National Karate Team for their excellent work in martial arts.

The week-long event will host athletes from approximately 180 countries competing. Rasul and Waltman will be fighting in hand form.

“You would be hard-pressed to find two more like them,” said Joe Gabriel, their local instructor. “They’re quite good at what they do. They’re fast, they’re strong and I wish I were them, but I’m not.”

Rasul, a student at Youngstown State University, has trained for more than 10 years and is a second-degree black belt. He placed second in kata last November at the USA Karate Federation Nationals tournament.

Waltman is a junior at Austintown Fitch High School and has been training for nearly 14 years. She placed second in both kata, kumite — or sparring — in the same tournament.

Recently, the two were joined by Anthony Popio and Ryan Wilt at the Kwanmukan International Karate Symposium in Richfield. Rasul and Waltman accepted leadership awards for their roles at their local dojo, the Shotokan Karate Academy in North Jackson.

Popio, a first degree, and Wilt, a green belt, received awards alongside their instructors.