GUYANA’S karatekas returned to home soil on Tuesday night and made an entrance at the CJIA displaying their gleaming five gold medals, six silver medals and a bronze – all achieved in Panama at the just concluded Karate Camp and Goodwill tournament. The ten-member squad was decked in their Cellular Planet Inc.-sponsored T-Shirts and accompanied by parents and supporters who accompanied them.
JKA/WF Guyana consisted of six adults, two teenagers and two children who all departed Guyana on June 5 for Panama City to make it their fourth consecutive year of participation.
According to a release from JKA/WF Guyana, the Panamanian atmosphere was tropical, similar to that of home and on competition day the local karatekas were in high competitive spirit.
To commence the competition, the Children – Boys division went into action (white to orange belt) with seven-year old Camiel Melville (8th Kyu) winning in Kata and placing second in Kumite.
Eleven-year-old Loren Black (7th Kyu) placed first in both the Kumite and Kata mainly against Panamanians.
Teenager Xavier Arjoon (1st Kyu Brown belt) aced all his competitors – Panamanians, Costa Ricans, Americans and Mexicans – taking both goal medals in Kata and Kumite.
Fifteen-year-old Shaqueel Amin (1st Dan) met with stiff opposition from Panama and the U.S. but made his mark against seasoned competitors and managed to gain two second places in the disciplines.
Shermon Kyte and Marlon George (both Shodan – 1st degree black belt) had their work cut out for them too as this was a huge division with many entrants but they did not fail to deliver against seasoned competitors of higher ranks even though they were newcomers to the division.
George managed to finish third in the Kata competition against the Panamanians, Mexicans, Venezuelans and Costa Ricans. Continuing in the adult category, 61-year-old Godfrey Taylor had good competition from the US, Panama and Mexico in the Over-45 years division and was lauded for his strong opposition.
The day’s event climaxed with the team Kata event, and Guyana again competed well in this category as Shankar Singh, Marlon George and Shermon Kyte (all 1st Dan – black belt) put together a strong Jion to gain second place, despite the other regions being quite competitive.
While in Panama, JKA/WF Guyana came in for high praise from the Operations Office of JKA/WF America Mr Yasuaki Nagatomo at the Country Representatives meeting, stating that the Guyanese are the role models for excellence, making particular mention of their outstanding administration, documentation and proactivity.
He stated that this is a region that he is pleased with and has invited the chief instructor Sensei Christopher Chaves to take his fifth Dan testing at the next international event.
JKA/WF Guyana committee and team thank their main sponsors Courtney Benn Construction Services Ltd, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire and Life Insurance and mother company Cellular Planet Inc. along with DDL and Geddes Grant who all played an instrumental role.