Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 18, 2008 Sports
By Rawle Welch
The Martial Arts community and members of the public will get an opportunity this Saturday to witness for the first time in Guyana a new form of the sport when the Black Hawks Association host a one-day seminar on how to use padded weapons.
The event to be held at the South Ruimveldt Secondary School from 14:00 hrs will be conducted by Trinidadian Grandmaster Professor Christopher Francis, who is expected to give demonstrations on how to use the weapons and the benefits that can be derived from its use.
Professor Francis in an interview with Kaieteur Sport yesterday said that in addition to the seminar, he will also be taking the opportunity to promote next year’s regional championships slated for March 28 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as well as grasp the opportunity to have a first hand look at some of Guyana’s karatekas who will vie for places on a squad to compete at next year’s World Championships in the United States of America (USA).
The primary focus of the seminar is to give demonstrations on how to use the rubberized weapons which was invented some ten (10) years ago in Japan and was first introduced in the Caribbean last year in Trinidad and Tobago, before making its second appearance in the region in Guyana.
According to Professor Francis, the new version is to provide a level of safety in the sport, while providing students the opportunity to gain confidence in the use of weapons as they prepare for high level competitions.
“I would also like to introduce it to the school and make it part of their curriculum since it has proven to he helpful to persons with bad tempers etc.”
The weaponry also known as Combative Sports Weapons in Japan, comprises long and short swords, nunchakas, knives and headgears and points are awarded for striking your opponent to various parts of the body with the head offering the maximum six points.
Professor Francis pointed out that the sport which has many different styles, has always suffered from segregation, but extended an invitation to the other schools and the general public to attend the seminar.
Touching on the other aspects of his visit, the Professor confirmed that Guyana will be sending a representative team to the annual Arnold Martial Arts Festival which is hosted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and he will assist in the selection of the best possible team.
Meanwhile, next year’s regional championships will be graced by the presence of a number of outstanding former and present exponents of the sport including founder of the Black Karate Federation, Grandmaster Steve Muhammad, who appeared in the Bruce Lee film ‘Enter the Dragon’ and is the first black world martial arts champion.
According to Professor Francis, among the distinguished students of Muhammad are film stars Jim Kelly and Wesley Snipes, while other notable figures expected are Ju-Jit-Su expert Frank Barroso and President of the Sports Combatant Weapons Dr. Kevin Hufford of Actual Martial Arts Magazine which will cover the tournament.
Among the countries invited are Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the USA in what has been referred to as the ‘Battle of the Islands’.
He disclosed that during his stay he intends to meet with various sections of the business community and the government to solicit their assistance in pulling off the tournament.
“I will seek to offer them exclusive rights to the event and their businesses will be advertised in the magazines and other related avenues contracted for the championships.”
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