Pan Am silver for teen judoka

TEENAGE Trinidad and Tobago judoka Clifford Parris battled his way to  two silver medals at the recent VII Pan American Infantile, Juvenile and Junior Circuit and Championship in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The 16-year-old Parris who began his international career two years ago, emulated Kimberly Farah who became the first Trinidad and Tobago Judoka to earn medals at a major regional/continental tournament in 1999. A student of Queen’s Park Judo Club, the teenager began writing his name  into the history books when he finished runner-up to Mexico’s Armando Ortiz in their October 27 bout in the Juvenile Male 66kgs and  Under category with Daniel Cruz (Puerto Rico) third, and again next day at the Casa Nacional de Judo also in Santo Domingo, with Cruz again third.

Team-mate Joash Walkins, 13, secured a bronze medal among the infantile Male 36kgs and under category, finishing joint third with Venezuela’s Sergio Pool, in the CAC Championship on Sunday last. Jose Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) was the winner, while Junior Mitchel (St Maarten) was runner-up. Other members of the Trinidad and Tobago contingent Ginna Charles, 19, of the Arima Judo Club and Keron Bourne also 19, of Southern Academy of Martial Arts were not among the medals.