Tae Bo expert expected tonight for world karate

Blanks, the popular actor of American television series Sabrina the Teenage Witch” is among a list of high-profile celebrities who will be here for the World Karate Championship being put on by the Purple Dragon Club.

Other top karate guests expected tonight include professor Bobb Mueller of the Best Karate School in Canada; Professor Robert Crosson, founder of Sugar Ryu Jiu- Jitsu martial arts style; Michael Hashimoto, a Kendo expert; and professor Arthur Dennery of Antigua.

The first assignment for Blanks and his colleagues will begin today from 8 am when hundreds of Purple Dragon students will converge on the waterfront esplanade for a mass kata demonstration.

It is being filmed as part of the docu-film programme called Born to Win. The will highlight Trinidad and Tobago and its culture, and will be edited and packaged for release internationally later this year.

Actual competition, Newsday learnt, will begin two hours after the filming in the Board Room of the Hyatt.

Some 900 participants and 500 spectators are expected for the showdown, being held for the fourth time on local shores.

Newsday understands that Saturday night will showcase the feature events when the winners of the different categories will square off for the Champion of Champions titles. It is being labelled the “Night of the Champions.”

In addition, the tournament will feature battles in different categories such as continuous sparring, team demonstrations, extreme weapons, creative weapons, extreme forms and self-defence.

Competitors will compete for medals, trophies, world titles and bragging rights.

The second Caribbean Martial Arts Hall of Fame induction banquet will be held on Sunday at 6 pm and martial artists from all over the world will be inducted in 25 categories.