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Jul 24, 2010 Sports
The 11th Pan American Karate Championships gets underway from August 12-15 next at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) and beverage giants Ansa McAl has risen to the corporate call to render corporate assistance to the local team of karatekas as they wind down preparations for this prestigious event.
More than 80 local karatekas would join more than 300 of their counterparts from fifteen countries as they attempt to procure honours in the championships. The local combat experts, accompanied by Master Frank Woon-a-Tai and ominously outfitted in Gis, convened at the Ansa McAl Betterverwagting offices yesterday morning to receive a cheque valued over $500,000 to help offset the huge organizing costs of the championships. Ansa McAl would be sponsoring the event under the Smalta brand.
Marketing Assistant (Ansa McAl), Anjeta Hinds handed over the cheque even as she reiterated her organization’s commitment to the development of local sportspersons and more particularly, the karatekas.
“Karate is an interesting sport; one that builds character and makes the participants better people,” said Ms Hinds shortly after handing over the package. “Ansa
McAl joins with the other social organizations in keeping young people productively engaged which in the end makes them better people,” concluded Ms Hinds as she pleaded for support for the group of karatekas. Mr. Woon-a-Tai expressed profound gratitude to the management of Ansa McAl for their corporate intervention.
Shortly afterwards, the karatekas ventured a short distance to the Triumph offices of Nazir and Nazir Group of Companies (Bakewell). There, Chairman of the organizing committee, Paul Stephenson accepted a similar monetary package of an undisclosed amount from Accountant of that business entity, Imran Ally. The accountant reminded the media that his organization is always in the forefront whenever the issue hinges on youth development. “My organization regards youth development as a very integral aspect of national development and as such we regard gestures like these as a part of our civil responsibility,” said Mr. Ally. Mr. Stephenson thanked the management of Nazir Group of Companies while promising that the local karatekas would turn in their best performance.
Meanwhile, several high level karate executives are expected in the country to view the championships. Among them are Chief Instructor of the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), 10th Dan Teruyuki Okazaki and Chief Vice Instructor of the ISKF, Yutaka Yaguchi.
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