Karate - 2000

Paris Blumenthal was the United States/AAU Open Kumite National Champion in 1994, and member of the USA/AAU National Kumite Championship team in 1995.

Paris won his first major tournament in 1990--the Japan Karate Federation Kumite Championship--defeating a field of 80 black belts representing 16 countries.

In 1991, competing for the Heavyweight Fighting title, Paris took the bronze medal and became a nationally ranked contender for the first time. In 1992, he was named to the West Coast All-Star Kumite Team.

In 1993, Paris captured the Riverside National Tournament Heavyweight championship, and won a bronze medal at the Nationals in Open Kumite. Blumenthal would finish the year ranked #3 in the Heavyweight Division, and #8 in the Open Division.

He lists under “special credentials”: World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Association, 5th Dan Black Belt, 1993.

In 1994, Paris was ranked #1 USA/AAU Open Weight contender. The following year, he claimed All-America honors twice and again won the USA/AAU Nationals in Team competition.

His style is described: “Okinawan-Ryu matsubayashi under the direction of Master Shoshin Nagamine, Naha Okinawa.”
Blumenthal is a USC graduate, and worked on his Masters Degree at CSU-Fullerton.