kumite
Linda Denley, Karate Superwoman From Houston, Texas
I am really excited to talk about today’s featured martial artist!
During the 70s and 80s while living in Germany, it was a real challenge to get my hands on American karate magazines. But whenever I did, it sure felt like Christmas and I devoured every page of information and inspiration. Especially articles and reports on Linda Denley.
For those of you who have never heard of her, let me warn you in advance. After this post you will be impressed. Very impressed, with this true living martial arts legend.
A native of Houston, Texas, Linda Denley grew up one of 12 children and as a teenager she excelled at just about any sport she took up, such as track and field, in which she even qualified for the Olympics in 5 events!! She couldn’t go to the Olympic Games simply because of her professional karate winnings.
Basketball was another example of her natural athleticism, in which she could have played semi-professional for the Houston Angels, but didn’t because of her karate career.
Linda Denley was THE female competitor to beat for many years.
Her aggressive fighting style earned her the nickname “Texas Terror” and boy, did she back that up with a record that is unheard of.
Starting with Tang Soo Do karate in 1973 under Master Robert Torres, she earned her black belt within 5 years, all while collecting trophies at tournaments.
Get this: Linda Denley was the top rated female kumite competitor from 1973 until 1996. That’s right, for 23 years. I am in awe!
She fought for nine years and did not lose a match. That’s just crazy stuff.
If you’re at all familiar with prestigious karate tournaments in the U.S., then you will appreciate this piece of information, too:
Linda Denley won the Battle of Atlanta not once or twice, but eleven times. Yes, that’s right, eleven times!
The other big-time tournament on the West Coast, simply known as the Long Beach Internationals, she won an impressive four times.
She really left “a path of destruction” in countless other tournaments. At least that’s what it probably felt like for her competitors in those days.
For all her accomplishments on the karate circuit, Linda Denley has been acknowledged in so many remarkable ways such as “Competitor of the Year” and not surprisingly “Instructor of the Year 1999″.
In 1980, she was the very first female to be inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame!
Her fighting skills did not go unnoticed by the TV and movie industry either:
Linda Denley worked with Jackie Chan in “The Armour of God” and Chuck Norris in an episode of “Walker, Texas Ranger”.
Today, 6th dan Linda Denley owns the Texas Black Belt Academy in Houston and has dedicated her time and energy to helping kids reach their full potential not only inside the dojo, but in whatever they do in life.
And here, I believe Linda Denley, Karate Superwoman from Houston, Texas, is paving “a path of inspiration” for many.
Another Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Here’s your week in review at TheMartialArtsReporter.com and two great quotes, just because it’s that season again!
Gegard Mousasi, MMA Fighter With A 27-2-1 Record And Only 24 Years Old
From Leiden,The Netherlands, referred to by many as “Europe’s Best-Kept Secret”.
Is Yildiz Aras The World’s Best Female Karate Kumite Competitor?
From Istanbul, Turkey, meet the “Strong Girl”.
New Zealand’s Maori Haka Get Warriors For Battle
From ‘Lord of the Rings’ country comes a ritual that will get any opponent’s attention.
Bruce Lee And Albrecht Pflueger. Albrecht Who?
Find out who this karate pioneer is and what role he played in my life.
Yoga And Martial Artists
If it helps Rickson Gracie in his workout regimen, could you possibly benefit from yoga?
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Behind The Scenes In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Rio is more than just the ‘Girl from Ipanema’.
And here are the two quotes as promised. I hope you like them.
“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”
Lord Byron
But wait, there’s more!
“Nurture your mind with great thought, for you will never go any higher than you think.” Benjamin Disraeli
Thanks again for following me at TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Is Yildiz Aras The World’s Best Female Karate Kumite Competitor?
You all know by now that my life-long martial arts experience started with Shotokan karate and even though I haven’t taken official classes in a very long time, I don’t consider having stopped, I simply look at the hiatus as having taken a break.
But be assured or as Arnold “The Terminator” Schwarzenegger would say, “I’ll be baaack!”
All of that being said, you will appreciate my never-ending interest in Shotokan karate and who can blame me, right?
I have been thinking about Girl Power on the karate circuit and a female competitor who immediately got my attention is from Istanbul, Turkey.
Her name is Yıldız Aras and she is considered to be the world’s best in karate kumite open division.
She just recently celebrated her 32nd birthday (are we even allowed to mention a woman’s age here?).
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Yildiz began studying karate at the tender age of 10 under Yüksel Baltay, a former national karateka.
Yildiz was admitted to the national team in 1994. So let me think. At the age of seventeen!
Foreign sportspeople gave her the nickname the “Strong Girl”. She holds three world champion titles, seven European champion titles, and three Mediterranean Games champion titles.
Now get this:
Yildiz is the most successful Turkish athlete ever, but without any Olympic medal, because karate is not an official discipline at the Olympic Games.
I was researching her achievements in competition since 1997 and believe me when I tell you I almost fell off my chair.
So instead of listing all of them, because that would have made this post the longest in Internet history, I will just show you an excerpt of what Yildiz Aras has accomplished. I repeat: This is only an excerpt.
Are you ready to be amazed? Hajime!
World Championships
Gold 2006 Tampere Kumite open
Gold 2004 Monterrey Kumite team
Gold 2002 Madrid Kumite team
Gold 2000 Munich Kumite open
Bronze 1998 Rio de Janeiro Kumite open
Gold 1998 Rio de Janeiro Kumite team
World Games
Gold 2005 Duisburg Kumite open
World Cup
Bronze 1997 Manila Kumite open
European Championships
Gold 2009 Zagreb Kumite +68kg
Bronze 2008 Tallinn Kumite +60kg
Bronze 2008 Tallinn Kumite open
Gold 2007 Bratislava Kumite +60kg
Bronze 2007 Bratislava Kumite open
Silver 2006 Stavanger Kumite +60kg
Silver 2006 Stavanger Kumite open
Gold 2005 Tenerife Kumite +60kg
Bronze 2005 Tenerife Kumite open
Gold 2004 Moscow Kumite open
Gold 2004 Moscow Kumite team
Gold 2003 Bremen Kumite +60kg
Bronze 2003 Bremen Kumite open
Gold 2002 Tallinn Kumite open
Gold 2001 Sofia Kumite team
Gold 2000 Istanbul Kumite open
Bronze 2000 Istanbul Kumite team
Gold 1999 Euboea Kumite team
Bronze 1998 Belgrade Kumite team
Bronze 1997 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Kumite team
Bronze 1996 Paris Kumite open
Mediterranean Games
Silver 2005 Almeria Kumite +65kg
Gold 2005 Almeria Kumite open
Gold 2001 Tunis Kumite open
Gold 1997 Bari Kumite open
World University Karate Championships
Silver 2000 Kyoto Kumite +60kg
Bronze 2000 Kyoto Kumite team
European Cadet & Junior Championships
Gold 1997 Greece Kumite +60kg
Are you still there?
Is Yildiz Aras amazing or what?
Check out this short, but action-packed video with Yildiz Aras, aka The Strong Girl, aka The Turkish Rose, aka The Golden Girl:
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