Karatekas sweep Antigua awards

Trinidad and Tobago were represented by a team comprising 16 adults and youth competitors. There were over 130 entrants from seven Caribbean countries.

It was a keenly contested competition with many high level performances of precision, power and excellent sportsmanship, as many of the contestants were seasoned Karateka who compete regularly at both Pan American and World Championship level.

Trinidad and Tobago emerged as the team with the most medals beating the competition including Jamaica and Barbados.

The team has been in hard training since early last year when they attended the tenth JKA/ISKF Pan American Championship held in Panama City in August.

In a fiercely contested tournament that included USA, Canada and Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago were able to secure third place overall in the adult division.

The national team made the finals in every adult event and received silver and bronze medals in Kata Division and fourth places in Kumite as well as two silver medals in the Youth Division.

The team is in the process of developing experience and skill. Training began for Pan American in 2004, and continued for the Caribbean Championship.

The Shotokan Federation are now working towards going to World Championship — The Shoto Cup in Australia 2006.

They expressed appreciation to their sponsors Mpower TSTT, Republic Bank, Home Express, ANSA McAl-Alstons, Endeco Trinidad Ltd as well as those who gave personal donations to assist with uniforms, tickets and other forms of sponsorship.

Also over the weekend Dr Dexter Shim, sixth degree black belt with the JKA World Federation and the ISKF, chief instructor of Trinidad and Tobago organised the first ISKF Karate Symposium were a number of key presentations pertaining to the training and development of Karate-do were delivered.

These included uniquely informative papers on the topics of "Litigation in the use of power in a contact sport such as karate" presented by Justice Ian Benjamin, a black belt with the Shotokan Karate Federation, and a panel of attorneys who are chief instructors of other Caribbean regions. "Injuries and their immediate and long-term treatment," was presented by Dr Damian Hezekiah a fourth degree black belt and an instructor with the Trinidad Association.

RESULTS:

12 and Under Junior Male — Nicholas Woon Sam - Silver Medal Kata

13-15 Junior Male — Jonathan Nivet - Gold Medal Kata, Gold Medal Kumite; Brandon McIvor - Bronze Medal — Kata, Silver Medal Kumite; Zachary Alexander — Silver Medal Kata

13-15 Junior Female — Afiya Wilson - Gold Medal - Kata, Silver Medal Kumite

16-18 Junior Male — Dominic Wilkes - Gold Medal - Kata, Gold Medal Kumite; Kyle Thomas - Bronze Medal - Kata, Silver Medal Kumite

Individual Adult Female — Nicole Lambie - Gold Medal - Kata; Tamara Joseph - Silver Medal - Kata;Nataki Hypolite - Bronze Medal- Kumite

Team Kata Female — Trinidad and Tobago - Gold Medal (N Lambie, T Joseph, N Hypolite)

Team Kumite Female — Trinidad and Tobago - Silver Medal (same)

Individual Adult Male — Damian Hezekiah - Gold Medal - Kata Silver Medal Kumite

Team Kata Male — Trinidad and Tobago- Bronze (D Hezekiah, J Nivet, M Woolford)

Team Kumite Male — Trinidad and Tobago - Silver Medal (D Hezekiah, W Sebastian, M Woolford)

Most Outstanding Competitor — Junior Division — Male — Jonathan Nivet

Most outstanding Competitor Senior Division — Female — Nicole Lambie