Navarre karate student selected to represent U.S.

Sarah Hartanto began life by battling hearing loss and unfinished lung development and today has focused her fighting skills on the dojo floor.

When Hartanto was born, her lungs had not properly developed and she only had 70 percent hearing in her left ear, with no hearing in her right ear, according to Sarah’s mother, Sharon Hartanto. Doctors said she was either born with the hearing loss or the medication they gave her for her lungs created the hearing loss.

According to Sharon, it was Sarah’s ability to fight for life as an infant that has her fighting today. Sarah has been taking Tae Kwon Do for more than four years and has always dreamed of being on the U.S. Karate Team.

For more on this story, see the May 5 edition of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.