USA Karate senior team trials bring Colorado Springs athletes one step closer to Olympics

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Here in Colorado Springs Saturday, young athletes were trying to kick, punch and strike their way into the Olympics -- and make history at the same time.

This is the 2020 senior team trials for USA Karate. The six finalists will go on to compete in a last chance qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

"For us, it's the pinnacle of what we're trying to do," said Phil Hampel with USA Karate. "This is an opportunity to put karate of a world stage and to show what the sport's about."

The athletes who qualify will be the first ever in their sport to compete in the Olympics. Karate is among five new sports that will debut in the games this summer, along with sport climbing, surfing, baseball/softball and skateboarding.