How to be on WAKO Team USA Kickboxing: 2020 Qualifications and Events for Ring Sports

This is a very exciting year and thrilling time to be involved with WAKO Team USA Kickboxing – for junior and adult athletes. With the 2021 World Games quickly approaching, the events this year in the United States and around the World will be of the utmost importance. Ring sports athletes (K1, Low Kick, and Full Contact) have many opportunities to not only be on WAKO Team USA Kickboxing, but also advance their skills and learn from their peers at different training camps and events that will lead up to the 2020 WAKO Junior World Championships and the 2020 WAKO Pan American Championships.

To kick off the year strong, athletes can first compete at the WAKO USA National Championships which will be held from March 27-29, 2020 in Hockessin, Delaware. This championship is the one and only qualifying event for junior athletes to compete on Team USA at the World Championships in Belgrade Serbia and for adult athletes to compete on Team USA at the Pan American Championships in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

The WAKO Junior World Championships will held from August 21 – 28, 2020 in Belgrade Serbia. Prior to the Championships, WAKO USA will bring all junior athletes together for an extensive two-day training camp to prepare athletes for the hard, tough competition in Serbia.

The WAKO Pan American Championships will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil from November 11 – 15, 2020. Adult athletes competing at the Pan American Championships have the opportunity to compete against the best athletes in Pan America. If you were to win at the Pan American Championships, you will have qualified to compete at the 2021 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama! Flashback to 2016, WAKO Team USA Kickboxing had four athletes qualify to compete at the 2017 World Games which were held in Wroclaw, Poland.

There are only six weight classes that will be at the 2021 World Games, three for men and three for women. Athletes will compete in K1 disciple. The three weight classes for men are: -63.5kg, -75kg, +91kg and the three for women are: -52kg, -60kg, -70kg. In total, there will only be 48 athletes in the world that get to compete at 2021 World Games! WAKO USA is extremely hopeful and excited to qualify more athletes this year in Brazil!