Black Hawk’s MAA excel at Int’l tourney

Aug 19, 2015 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed
Black Hawk’s Martial Arts Academy Guyana emerged winners when their Management Network held their third international champion of champions’ tournament on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Members of the victorious Guyana Black Hawk’s Martial Arts Academy with their accolades.

Guyana Mix Martial Arts Academy took the runner up spot while Best of the Best School placed third; Harpy Eagle and Stanley Town Shotokan finished jointly in fourth position. The other local teams that took part were Little Diamond, Team Torres, Police Training School and Guyana Martial Arts Federation along with team Canada and Black Hawk’s of Trinidad and Tobago.
Corwin D’ Anjou of Black Hawk’s Guyana won the open sparring, and placed second and third in the kata and self defense respectively; Keon Beckles of Trinidad and Tobago copped the open kata and self defense; he placed second in sparing.
Joan Williams of Black Hawk’s Guyana captured the female 18 and over intermediate traditional kata event and finished second in open kata and sparring. Colwyn Benn of Black Hawk’s Guyana took the top podium spots in the Weapon and open kata, and placed second in sparring which was taken my Michael Jones.
Lateefah Hopkinson also of Black Hawk’s Guyana claimed the 11-14 female kata and sparring while her team-mate Shaakirah Hopkinson took the runner up spot in the 10-14 freestyle kata. Yusuf Hopkinson won the five and under sparring crown while Sulieman Hopkinson placed second in the traditional kata in the 11-13 segment; both of Black Hawk’s Guyana.

Tafare Reece displays his prizes.

Tafare Reece of Black Cobra, West Demerara claimed the 9-11 open kata and self defense events and placed second in sparring while his team mates Christopher Mohabea and Josea Rahaman took the male and female 10-14 traditional kata respectively. Nazi Realine of Guyana Mix Martial Arts Academy won the 9-11 female traditional kata. Badesh Strikhod was successful in the said event in the 15-17 division; Marie Roberts took the title in the female 18 and over category.
The beginners’ traditional kata was taken by Black Hawk’s Guyana Terrene Reece while Guyana Mix Martial Arts Association student Parsram Arjnne captured the 18-34 black belt title; Quacy Patrick won the traditional kata in the 35 and over division.
Darran Newton claimed the five and under freestyle crown; Jaden Jack of Black Hawk’s was crowned champion of the 6-8 freestyle event while his team-mate Floyd Morris won the 9-11 title. Akhenaton Ashby pocketed the 12-14 traditional kata accolade and Allyah Ramnarine the female 12-14 prize in the said event.
Anthony Jeffery of Black Hawk’s Guyana and Kemo Reece of Harpy Eagle captured the 15-17 sparring and 18-34 beginners sparring titles in that order. The 18-34 advance sparring was won by Michael Jones while the 15-17 advance sparring was taken by Mark Garraway both of Black Hawk’s Guyana.
In an invited comment Sensei Garfield Newton of the Black Hawk’s Martial Arts Academy Management Network said they currently soliciting sponsorship to field a team to the North American Federation Martial Arts tournament which is slated for Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.
Debra Francis, Brands Manager of Edward B Beharry who sponsored the prizes, congratulated the winners and said she is happy the tournament was successful. She added that they are pleased to be associated with such a rich display of sportsmanship and look forward to the continued development of the youths.