The 14-year-old from South Anchorage High School has been on a “meteoric” rise in the world of martial arts over the past two years and recently qualified for the U.S. National Team.
Bella Marsh, 14, is a member of the U.S. Junior National Team and will compete next month in Mexico. Photographed at Okamoto's Karate in Anchorage on Aug. 2, 2023.
Marsh has only competed in three national tournaments — two in an advanced youth division — before her bronze medal-winning performance at the elite division for her age group. Yoshi Hiro “Tom” Okamoto has been teaching the martial art of karate for nearly 40 years and is the owner of Okamoto’s Karate in Anchorage, where Marsh got her start and still trains.
He believes those characteristics have “her on the path she is now, where she’s done so well on the national level.”“I’ve risen really fast,” she said. “I never expected to be going so far with how I’m doing and how well I’m doing, so it’s been a crazy experience for sure.” “She’s definitely one of the finest students I’ve ever had in the school for sure,” he said. “This is still the beginning of her arc toward something really great, so I’m confident that she’s going to achieve any goal she sets for herself.”Recently, Marsh has taken her training to another level. Her parents converted their living room into her own personal dojo where she can practice with her U.S. National Team coach, Jarrett Leiker, via Zoom.
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