THE Guyana Karate College (GKC) on Monday held the second of its triannual grading examinations for this year for students belonging to its dojos, at the Carifesta Sports Complex on Carifesta Avenue, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.It was a special evening that was filled with passion, apprehension and gruelling martial arts displays especially for the younger children, many of whom undertook these grading examinations for the first time. The occasion coincided with the GKC’s tenth anniversary of its establishment, and saw students for very first time examined simultaneously by several high-ranking officials of the world karate governing body the International Karate Daigaku.

The Canadian Judging team was headed by Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai, the Guyanese-born Chairman and Chief Instructor of the IKD who is a 9th degree black belt with over fifty years of experience in karate-do. It also included his wife Sensei Maureen Woon-a-Tai, an 8th Dan, Sensei David Pykea 7th Dan, Sensei Bernice Hughes a 7th Dan, Sensei Janice Pyke a 6th Dan, Sensei Michelle Woon-A-Tai a 4th Dan, and Sensei Ken Woon-A-Tai a 4th Dan.
For the local examiners, Sensei Jeffrey Wong a 6th Dan who is the Senior Instructor of the College, along with Sensei Lavern Jones, a 5th Dan, was involved in grading the students.
The highpoint of these grading examinations for the GKC was the attainment of a Sandan rank or third degree black belt by 12-year-old Tyler Orderson, making him the youngest karateka across the world under the umbrella of the IKD to accomplish this feat.
This is his third record-breaking achievement as he has also earned the accolades of being the youngest 1st degree black belt globally when he was a mere seven years old and the youngest 2nd degree black belt at nine years old.
Accompanying him in acquiring the sandan ranking was his batchmate, 16-year-old Alyssa Persaud, both of whom are A+ students of the prestigious Marian Academy. Additionally, obtaining the 3rd degree black belt were Leon Burnett and Roland Fanfair.
Attaining the Nidan rank or second degree black belt was Jonathan Connelly of New Guyana School whilst gaining the Shodan rank or 1st degree black belt were Alyssa Ramotar also of Marian Academy and Kellisa Jupiter of Westfield Preparatory
More than forty other karatekas were promoted from 10th kyu all the way to 1st kyu with some of them performing exceptionally well, skipping grades. Those included Jose Rodrigues skipping from 8th kyu to 6th kyu, Amber De Goeas from 8th to 6th kyu, Sophia Mittelholzer 7th kyu to 5th kyu, Somlata Bispat 7th kyu to 5th kyu, Sherlock Scott 7th kyu to 5th kyu Joshua Gibbs 7th kyu to 5th kyu.
It was an evening of deep pride and gratification for the Senior Instructor Sensei Jeffrey Wong who has dedicated the last ten years of his life to the development of karate-do in Guyana and the Guyana Karate College, seeing this institution start from scratch and growing quickly into a leading martial arts institution in the country, with the enviable record of bringing back the most medals for Guyana at the Caribbean, South American and World Championships in addition to excelling at many local tournaments in individual and team kumite, kata, bunkai and enbu.
He, along with the chairman of the IKD Master Frank Woon-A-Tai whose main goal is to be of service to young people throughout the world by helping them find direction in life, met with the parents and the karatekas after the grading session.
He updated them of the progress of the GKC and the plans for the future including the completion of its new headquarters and main dojo at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, the enlargement of its student population and the expansion of tailored training options for females, business persons and preparing for the possibility of Karate-do debuting in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.