Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 13, 2010 Sports
A 14-member team of Martial Artists from the Harpy Eagles and Black Hawks schools turned in impressive performances at the Pan Caribbean Classic Martial Arts Championships held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Trinidad and Tobago on October 8 and 9.
Some 20 World championship belts along with a wide array of silver and bronze medals were also captured by the team ranging between the ages of 7 years and 38 years. This was the first time that Guyanese exponents of the arts have won world championship belts in a major tournament sanctioned by several international bodies including the North American Federation and the Caribbean Alliance.
The event was organised by the Black Hawks organisation of Trinidad and Tobago, headed by Professor Christopher Francis. He informed that competitors from the host Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, United States and Pakistan, totaling 225, battled in 149 categories over the two days in Kata, Kumite, Weapons Kata, Self Defence, Team Kata and Padded Stick Fighting.
The event also attracted several dignitaries in the Martial Arts world, including Sijo (Grand Master) Steve Mohamed, who according to Professor Francis, is the first black man to win and dominate the Martial Arts World Championship for a period of 12 years during the 1970’s and 80’s. He defeated some of the leading competitors in the sport including Chuck Norris. Sijo Mohamed runs the Black Karate Federation in the United States.
Professor Frank De Gourville also of the US and is a World middleweight champ, World Karate champ Trevor Taseteno and Master Jose Torres, the World Taekwando champ, who runs the North American Federation of Martial Arts also in the US were also among the top flight performers to join Professor Francis at the event.
T&T Prime Minister Kamla Persaud-Bissessar, Sports Minister Anil Roberts, Minister of Security John Sandy and Education Minister Dr. Tim Gopisingh among other officials that were also in attendance.
The Guyana team’s performance saw Lozaro Scott (7yrs) winning two world title belts in Kata and Kumite and a silver medal in Weapons Kata, Viola Bobb (10yrs) won two title belts in Kata and Weapons Kata and a silver medal in the Kumite, Tamera Austin (9yrs) claimed a Belt in Kumite and bronze medal in Weapons Kata, Kemo Scott (12yrs) a belt in Weapons Kata, silver in Kata and bronze in Kumite, Deon Bobb (12yrs) took three belts in Kata, Kumite and Weapons Kata and a silver medal in Padded Weapons fighting. Troy Bobb Jnr (14yrs) won two belts in Weapons Kata and Kata, Khadija St Clair (15yrs) claimed a title belt in Kata and a bronze medal in Kumite, Kerwin Danjou (17yrs) claimed belts in Kata, Kumite and Weapons Kata, Kenroy Meyers (19yrs) bronze in the Kata, Bertram Williams (18yrs) belt in Kata and two silvers in Kumite and Weapons Kata, Michael Jones (18yrs) a bronze in Kumite, Sensei Garfield Newton (28yrs) claimed a championship belt in Kumite, bronze in the Kata and Weapons Kata and Sensei Troy Bobb (38yrs) took title belts in Kata, Kumite and Weapons Kata.
All the successful Guyanese title holders have qualified for the World Martial Arts Championship in 2011 set for Canada during November.
Several sponsors aided the teams’ travel to the Trinidad event, among them were Edward B. Beharry Company, Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Carl Brandon through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Apex Education, Several residents of Annandale, Beterverwagting and Mon Repos, Mrs. Cummings, Kashif Muhammad, Mrs. Mason, the Jones and Williams families.
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