LAST Saturday, the Guyana Karate College (GKC) held its mid-year grading examinations at the Malteenoes Sports Club Dojo in Thomas Lands, Georgetown where a total of 76 karatekas were graded. It was conducted under the watchful eyes of a panel of Examiners headed by Chairman and Chief Instructor of the International Karate Daigaku Master Frank Woon-A-Tai M.S, 9th Degree Blackbelt.
The GKC, buoyed by its recent and unparalleled success at the World Shotokan Karate Tournament that was held in July of this year in Toronto, Canada, where they brought second copping 24 gold, four silver and 17 bronze medals.
Headlining the grading on Saturday was Aubrey Bettencourt, a senior karateka, who was promoted from a second degree (Nidan) blackbelt ranking to a third degree (Sandan) ranking, Tashana Wong, Kenny Wong and Tenecia Plowell who were elevated from first degree (Shodan) blackbelt rankings to second degree (Nidan) rankings, and Tabita Goolsarran and Alexander Hohenkirk who ascended from first kyu (Brown Belt) to first degree (Shodan) blackbelt ranking.
Additionally there was the promotion of twenty-one 10th kyu-ranked karatekas (White Belt) to 8 kyu (Yellow Belt); whilst five 9th kyu (White with Yellow Stripe) were elevated to 8th kyu (Yellow Belt), four 7th kyu (Orange Belt) to 6th kyu (Green Belt), six 6th kyu (Green Belt) to 5th kyu (Blue Belt), thirteen 5th kyu (Blue Belt) to 4th kyu (Purple Belt), nine 4th kyu (Purple Belt) to 3rd kyu (Brown Belt) and seven 3rd kyu (Brown Belt) to  2nd kyu (Brown Belt).
Outstanding performances also came from Kerry Ramkumar and Bharat Jhiant of the Timehri Dojo both of whom showed considerable proficiency and flair in the execution of their katas and kihon and were skipped from 3rd kyu (Brown Belts) to 1st kyu (Brown Belts).
Other notable performances came from Daniel Jailall, Hannah Farinha, Brittney Ramkissoon, Rachel Ramlal and Rebecca Ramlal.
Senior Instructor and Vice-Chairman of the GKC Sensei Jeffrey Wong a 6th Degree Black Belt, indicated his continued satisfaction at the continued high level of performance by his students, but posited that it was not the time for the students to become complacent.
He said, as a consequence of their consistent successes, as it was his belief that karatekas from other countries would be stepping up their game to catch up with the GKC or even try to surpass the level set by the college, when they meet them again next year in St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Caribbean Karate Championships and in 2015 in Venezuela at the next World Karate Championships.