Tournament day was soon upon us - four members of the USA Goodwill Uechi Ryu team would compete while the other five, including new Shodan Mansell, performed demonstrations.

The exhilaration of the American team grew with each bout and each victory. As match after match was contested in the packed arena of Kokusai University, the dwindling list of finalist included Ric Martin and his student James Humann.

Humann, a 4th dan, got the first opportunity to take the championship back to America. Although he had beaten reigning Austrian champion Karl Alyfe just six months earlier in the Florida state championships, he wasn't able to get past the seasoned veteran this time. However, James Humann's loss was more than compensated for by his sensei's victory!

In a highly technical battle of seasoned sparring veterans, Martin became the first American to lift the championship title.  

Mansell again set the pace and had the team on board his jet and airborne in less than 90 minutes after his sensei's historic win. I returned to Okinawa five months later on a research trip. Evidence of Mansell's visit was ever present. Autographed photos of the Briton were on display everywhere and many stories were told of the excitement about his stay on their tiny island of karate!