Word: rakower
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Dates: during 1998-1998
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...really disappointing," Rakow said. "This was what I'd been focusing on for so long, and to lose in the first round. They chose my worst kata...
Other athletes might have packed it in and gone home. Rakow responded by claiming first place in the national sparring competition...
...When sparring came around, I was put against the same girl as before," Rakow explained. "I was just like, 'You won last time. This time, it's my turn.' I didn't give her much of a chance...
Having lost the competition she came to win, Rakow entered the sparring competition with nothing to lose. Facing smaller, quicker opponents in her first two rounds, Rakow said playing it fast and loose helped maintain her mental concentration, possibly the most critical element when it comes to sparring...
Sparring rounds are two minutes long, and the first person to reach two points wins, so even an instantaneous break in concentration can be costly. Rakow kept hers, winning that first round 2-1 and her second 2-0 to reach the final...