Guyana Martial Arts Open Championships...Local practitioners’ takes on T&T counterparts today

Guyana Martial Arts Open Championships…Local practitioners’ takes on T&T counterparts today

Aug 24, 2013 Sports

Several of the best martial artists from the Black Hawks Martial Arts Management Network/Association will clash with their counterparts from Trinidad and Tobago when the Guyana Martial Arts Open Championships get underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) this morning.

Professor Francis and Sensei Pollard (back row left & right) pose with members of the Trinidadian team.

Initially, the tournament was scheduled to be a Tri-Nation affair but Barbados was forced to opt out. The Trinidad team arrived in Guyana Thursday evening last and their Sensei, Professor Christopher Francis is confident that his charges would perform at the top of their game.
The Trinidadians competing in the championship are Atiba DeCoteau, Aduil Ramsahai, Jonathan Hansraj and Isaiah Young. Captain of the team is Sensei Isiah Pollard. The squad comprises youngsters between the ages of 9-15 years and most of them are accompanied by their parents.
The Guyanese squad will be under the tutelage of Fourth Degree Black Belt, Sensei Garfield Newton with support from other National and International Kumite Champions and Black Hawk Board members.
Among those comprising the Guyanese squad are Michael Jones, Sulaymaan Hopkinson, King Cameron, Lateefah Hopkinson, Juann Williams and Shaakirah Hopkinson. They were engaged in stiff practice sessions yesterday in the auditorium of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School and are ready for combat.
Sensei Garfield Newton said that his charges are at the top of their game following the conclusion of a Summer Camp which got underway July 22 last and concluded yesterday afternoon at the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School.
The students were introduced and tutored in several styles including Kana JuiJitsu, Kung Fu, American Taekwando, AikiJuiJitsu, Karate, Judo Gymnastics and self- defence among other arts. Local administrators also conducted grading sessions Thursday evening last. Today’s tournament will allow the practitioners to test their skills.