
Karen Quiles, a resident of the Hoboken Housing Authority who won a bronze medal in last year's International Karate-Do Championship in Japan, is hoping to return to the Land of the Rising Sun later this month to compete in the 2007 JKS World Cup...In addition to finishing third in the Japanese Osaka tournament last year, Quiles is a five-time New Jersey State Champion, five-time regional karate champion, and has won the USA National Karate Championship for her age and for her karate school in a tournament in Florida last year...Quiles first became aware of karate during morning commutes with her mother...where she would regularly pass Zenshikai Dojo karate school...After initially opposing her daughter's desire to learn karate, which she considered to be a boy's sport, Juana eventually succumbed...Next to fighting in the tournament, Quiles' favorite part of last year's trip was learning about Japanese culture, which she has a high regard for. According to Quiles, after defeating two Japanese girls in last year's tournament, she lost to a third whose family is well-known for its karate ability...more...
Good luck to her. Can you wear glasses when you compete?