Eastside 12-year-old to represent Team USA at 2026 World Karate Championship

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A 12-year-old Eastside student is preparing for the opportunity of a lifetime as she gets ready to represent the United States at the 2026 World Karate Championship in Romania.

Alaina VonMenke will travel to Romania at the end of July to compete after training in karate for the past four years.

“You have to be determined. You have to give it your all. It also does require sacrifice, so you can miss like birthday parties and stuff like that because of training,” VonMenke explains.

She said she first became interested in karate after seeing the Nihon Karate School on the Eastside. Before that, she danced.

“I usually train every day. And if not, I’m usually studying every day for the year in school,” VonMenke says.

Sensei Patrick Martin said karate helps students develop skills that extend beyond competition.

Martin said he has watched VonMenke grow from a young student into a leader in the dojo.

Athena Kehoe

“Even last night I had her teaching adult black belts,” Martin says, “so she’s doing very well, and that’s kind of a cool thing just to see how she’s progressed and grown in karate. Still a little shy, but man, she has come outside of her box, and she can accomplish anything; that’s pretty awesome.”

VonMenke said the sport has taught her valuable life lessons.

“This has taught me a lot; it has taught me patience, determination, confidence in myself especially, and that I can just keep pushing forward,” she explains.

VonMenke heads to Romania at the end of July to compete in the AAU Team USA 2026 World Karate Championships. Read more about her journey and how to help support her here.