Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Youth in Focus – Meet 13 year-old Karateka, Alyssa Persaud
There is the notion that the youth is the future, but let’s get it right, ‘The Future Is Now’. In the past few months, this nation would have witnessed dozens of our young athletes putting their all on the line in representing the country.
Many have been the sacrifices for them to prepare themselves and to get into
Alyssa Persaud
competition shape. In many instances, these athletes have been doing so without proper diet and not the best of facilities available to them, but they have persevered and did their best.
To mention a few, the national Under-17 female football team, despite conceding 40 goals in three matches they did their best; the 1st South American Youth Games team as well as the Inter Guiana Games team, all comprising Under-19 athletes.
Kaieteur Sport from today and each weekend will be featuring young athletes as we seek to highlight and encourage these young ambassadors, looking at from whence they came, why they are involved in their particular sport as well as their hopes and aspirations.
The aim of these articles is also to motivate others and at the same time, have our administrators and those in authority understand that investing in the Real Development of our youth is a must, there is no other option.
Today we are pleased to introduce to you, 13 year-old Alyssa Persaud, a budding karateka.
Alyssa Persaud, is a confident yet quiet and well mannered teenager. She began the Martial Art of Karate at the tender age of nine (9) at the Guyana Karate College (GKC). Despite her age, young Persaud was and is a force to be reckoned with.
She currently holds the coveted rank of ‘Shodan’ or First Degree Black Belt, with a regiment of training thrice weekly at the Malteenoes Dojo of the GKC, where she has been making quite a name for herself.
Alyssa has successfully participated in a number of local and International Karate camps and tournaments where she represented the Golden Arrowhead. The most recent was the Caribbean Karate Championships which was held in Barbados in July of this year.
Others include the International Karate Daigaku World tournament that was held in Toronto, Canada (2012) where she won gold in the Individual Kata and Kumite events as well as the Team Enbu, Team Kata and Team Bunkai with her Karate-do teammates.
Alyssa who is now 13 years-old and a Grade 8 student of the prestigious Marian Academy, is quite exceptional, maintaining excellent academic grades, whilst at the same time, being a naturally talented athlete. The multi-talented athlete is currently quite involved in Table Tennis while at the same time also testing her skills at Judo and Hockey.
Her typical day, which is full of activity as she juggles her academic pursuits with her extra-curricular activities, sees her studying in her spare time, with weekends reserved for watching her favourite movies and listening to music particularly rock music, things she enjoys just like any regular teenager.
Alyssa, who is required as a young athlete to eat healthy and maintain a balanced diet, has a strong aversion to meat and therefore selects her vegetarian diet carefully to maintain her energy level and to satisfy her high calorie needs.
Born under the birth sign of Capricorn, Alyssa also enjoys reading and swimming but dislikes passionately, having to deal with persons who are dishonest.
Alyssa’s message to her fellow youths is to do whatever positive things they are doing to the best of their ability. She has as her role models, her father and mother Ryan and Vanessa Persaud and wishes to follow in their footsteps by becoming a successful entrepreneur after completing her University education. She also intends to follow through with Karate as a lifetime activity.
Alyssa is now undergoing vigorous training in preparation to be graded for a Second Degree Black belt ranking also known as ‘Nidan’ this month when Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-a-Tai, 9th Dan Black Belt and Chairman of the International Karate Daigaku visits Guyana. (Franklin Wilson)
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