TOKYO OLYMPICS: Bedrock Sports’ Guide To 10 Hawaii Athletes Competing At The 2021 Games

At last count, there are 10 athletes with Hawaii ties qualified to participate in the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held July 23 though Aug. 8.

Below is a quick look at all 10, in alphabetical order.

The list includes three surfers, three volleyball players, two skateboarders, one karate competitor, and one basketball player.

Eight on the list graduated from high school in Hawaii —  two from ‘Iolani, two from Punahou, and one each from Kahuku, Kamehameha, Kapaa and Mid-Pacific.

(Sources: TeamUSA.org, USAskateboarding.com, UCDavisAggies.com, WorldSurfLeague.com).

Heimana Reynolds doing his signature move, the handplant. Reynolds his one of 10 athletes with Hawaii ties competing at the Tokyo Games later this month. (Image credit: StockX.com).

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Jordyn Barratt

Personal:First female to compete as a pro in both U.S. Open skateboarding and surfing in the same year. … First female to qualify for the Dew Tour Park Am contest, skating alongside the men. … Born in Dallas and raised in Haleiwa, the 21-year-old  is a trailblazer in action sports. … Had a strong 2018, landing on nine podiums including four wins, highlighted by Gold at the Vans Park Series event in Malmo, Silver at the U.S. Open, and Bronze at both the Dew Tour and the VPS World Championships in China. In 2019, Jordyn won the Silver medal in the Montreal Vans Park Series and Red Bull Rollercoaster contests.

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Micah Christenson

>> Sport: Volleyball

>> Team: USA
>> Position: Setter

>> Sport: Volleyball

>> Height: 6 feet 6
>> Date of birth: May 8, 1993

>> Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii

>> Home town: Honolulu, Hawaii

>> High School:Kamehameha, Class of 2011

>> College: USC, Class of 2015

Olympic experience
>> 2016 Olympic Games, bronze medal

World championship cxperience
>> 2018 world championship, third place
>> 2014 world championship, seventh place

Personal: Was a four-year starter and a three-year co-captaion at USC and was a three-team AVCA All-American. Led Kamehameha to the basketball state titles in 2009 and 2011 and the volleyball state title in 2011.Full name is Micah Makanamaikalani Christenson. Makanamaikalani means “Gift from Heaven.” Micah’s parents gave him that name because his mother had to have surgery while pregnant with Micah and it was not known if he would survive. … Father Robert played basketball at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. … Mother Charlene played volleyball at UH Hilo, where she won three national championships and was named a two-time All-American.

John John Florence

>> Sport: Surfing

>> Team: USA
>> Height: 6 feet 2

>> Date of birth: Oct. 18, 1992

>> Birthplace: Honolulu

>> Home town: North Shore, Oahu

>> High school: Kahuku

World championship experience

>> Most recent: 2021, No. 10

>> Years of participation: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021

>> Two World Surf League titles — 2016, 2017
>> 2021 Billabong Pipe Masters champion

>> Vans Triple Crown of Surfing titles — 2011, 2013, 2016, 2020
>> 2016 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational champion

Personal: Made an incredible comeback from an ACL injury in 2019 to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and suffered another injury in May 2021, resulting in surgery on his other knee. … Started surfing when he was two years old. … At the age of 13, he became the youngest person to compete in the Triple Crown of Surfing and six years later won his first title. … Hobbies include sailing and filming. … Introduced to surfing by his mother, Alexandra, who is a surfer herself. … Has three brothers, Ivan, Tal and Nathan. … Named after John F. Kennedy Jr., who was dubbed “John John” by the media. … In 2011, he suffered a broken back while riding a wave at Banzai Pipeline. … Married to Australian model Lauryn Cribb. … Enjoys sailing his boat between islands, beekeeping and tending his local organic farm. … Continues to push the limits of what’s possible in and around the water with his brothers Nathan and Ivan across the North Shore.

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Hugh Hogland

>> Sport: Basketball
>> Team: Japan
>> Height: 6 feet 10
>> Date of birth: Dec. 23, 1999
>> Home town: Waimanalo
>> High school: ‘Iolani, Class of 2016
>> Colleges: University of Portland, UC Davis

Personal: As undergraduate at Portland from 2017 to 2020, he shot .528 from the floor in 43 games, averaging four points and three rebounds per game. … Signed a pro contract in June to play for the Ryukyu Golden Kings of the Japan first division. … At ‘Iolani, his Raiders won state titles in 2014 and 2016, and he ended his senior year averaging 15.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. His grandfather Doug played in the NFL for six years in the 1950s. … Competing with Team Japan and playing against Andrew Bogut in an exhibition game is his proudest personal accomplishment.

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Sakura Kokumai

>> Sport: Karate
>>Team: USA
>> Position:Female elite kata

>> Date of birth: Oct. 2, 1992

>> Birthplace:Honolulu

>> Home town: Los Angeles

>> College: Waseda University

Career highlights
>> Member of USA Karate national team since 2007
>> 7-time USA national champion (senior)

>> 4-time USA national champion (junior)
>> 4-time Junior Pan American champion
>> 6-time Senior Pan American Champion (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012)
>> World championships bronze medalist (2012)

Personal: Started karate at the age of 7 in Honolulu. … Made the Junior national team at age 14 and has been representing the U.S. ever since. … Goal is to become the first karate gold medalist in the sports debut at the Olympic Games. … Loves watching figure skating and tries her best to keep up with the sport. … Knows how to sail and her go-to pre-competition food is rice.

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Carissa Moore

>> Sport: Surfing

>> Team: USA
>> Height: 5 feet 7

>> Date of birth: Aug. 27, 1992

>> Birthplace: Honolulu

>> Home town: Honolulu

>> High school: Punahou, Class of 2010

World championship cxperience
>> Most recent: 2021, No. 1
>> Years of participation: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
>> Four World Surf League titles — 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2019
>> 2020 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title

Personal: Enters the Tokyo Games ranked No. 1 in the WSL and will be in a September surf-off for a potential fifth world title. … At age 18, she became the youngest person – male or female – to win a surfing world title and was the first person to win the women’s Triple Crown of Surfing, … Surfs with remarkable power and finesse and is known for her work to help young girls develop confidence and pursue their dreams. … Began surfing at age 5 and learned from her dad at Waikiki Beach. … Considers the ocean her happy place. … Hobbies include scrapbooking, hanging with friends and family, and caring for her dogs Maya and Tuffy. …Took four years of Japanese in high school and is looking forward to sharpening her use of the language during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. … Named an Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic (2012), a Woman of the Year by Glamour magazine (2013) and Top Female Surfer in the SURFER magazine poll (2011, 2015-2017). …Inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame. …The State of Hawaii declared January 4 to be Carissa Moore Day.

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Heimana Reynolds

Erik Shoji

Kawika Shoji

Tatiana Weston-Webb

>> Sport: Surfing
>> Team: Brazil
>> Date of birth: May 9, 1996
>> Height: 5 feet 4
>> Home town: Princeville, Kauai
>> High school: Kapaa

World championship experience
>> Most recent: No. 4, 2021 World Surf League championship tour
>> WSL championship tour No. 4 (2016)
>> WSL championship tour No. 6 (2019)
>> WSL championship tour, No. 7 (2015)
>> WSL qualifying series, No. 1 (2015)

Personal: Her mother Tanira Weston-Webb is Brazilian and was a professional bodyboarder and her father is from England and has always been around surfing and routinely paddled out to big Hanalei Bay when Tatiana was young, which is why Tatiana is considered one of the most confident WSL surfers in waves of consequence. … Played stunt double for young Bethany Hamilton in the movie “Soul Surfer” when she was 11.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Not long after this story posted, BedrockSportsHawaii.com learned about five more Hawaii athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics. You can read about those five here: Total Of Hawaii Athletes Competing At Tokyo Games Up To 15.
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