GOLDEN OPPOTUNITY: A YEAR INTO KARATE, BIRI QUALIFIES FOR WORLD MEET

JACKSON, Mo. -- While many kids his age were looking up to Michael Jackson, Ozzie Smith or Joe Montana, Mike Biri was always impressed with a different type of celebrity -- Bruce Lee.

Biri was amazed with Lee. He has quite a collection of Bruce Lee movies and books.

So it figures that once Biri, a Jackson resident, got the opportunity to learn karate last August, he'd take advantage of it.

Little did he know then that 11 months after he took up the craft, he'd be headed to Hawaii for a world competition.

After taking two first places and a second at the Blue Grass Nationals in Louisville, Ky., Biri will join Team America and take part in the 2002 World Martial Arts Cup in Hawaii next May.

Quick learner

Eric Welch, Biri's instructor, said it is unusual for someone to pick up karate so quickly.

Biri entered his first tournament three weeks after he started and took first in weapons and katas (a routine as if fighting an invisible opponent) and finished second in sparring.

"You've got to have a lot of heart," Welch said. "People who learn it, do it for different reasons. Some want it for self defense and some take it because it was a dream. That's how it was with Mike. He's got the heart and the talent."

Welch, in his 11 months of training, has moved up to a gold belt, still far from reaching the coveted black belt.

But Biri, 25, has dominated the competition at his level as evidenced by his 23 trophies -- 13 of them first place -- displayed in the basement of his home. Biri will be tested again soon and could jump up two belts to green, Welch said.

Training wasn't easy, especially at the beginning, Biri said. At his first lesson, he couldn't even touch his toes. He later pulled a hamstring trying to do the splits.

"That first night was tough," Biri said. "I didn't know what I was doing. There was so much stuff I thought I knew that I didn't know. You watch the movies and you think you know stuff. But there's no comparison.

And family support is very important. Without their support, especially my wife, Teal, I couldn't have made it this far."

The craft

There are three basic types of competition: weapons, kata and sparring.

Biri enjoys all three and is ranked first in all three areas in the Midwest Martial Arts Association. At the Blue Grass Nationals, he took first place in weapons and kata and took second in sparring.

Biri, who works for Jackson's sanitation department, practices his Tang Soo Do, a Korean style karate, nearly every day, either at his home or Welch's.

"Some days I don't get to, so I make sure I practice twice as much the next day," he said.

Setting goals

Biri likes his chances next May in Hawaii.

"I'm going with the mind set to win," he said. "I want to know that I can compete with the best of them. I'm very excited."

Since Biri started the year as a gold belt, he'll compete as a gold belt in the World Martial Arts Cup as a gold, even though he could move up to green soon. But, as Biri pointed out, every other martial artist has the same opportunity to advance. In his division, he'll compete against gold, yellow, orange and white belts.

What Biri gains in belts, he'll lose in his pockets. Travel expenses alone will take $1,700 out of his pocket. He's currently seeking sponsors.

But he doesn't seem to mind the sacrifices.

"As soon as I was invited I knew I was going," he said. "I knew I'd have to find a way."

Speaking of finding a way, Biri's long-range goal is to earn a black belt.

"I don't care if it takes from here to eternity," he said. "I'm going to get a black belt some day."