P/Town call for kickboxing centre

Scores of kickboxers attached to five major academies met last Saturday at the Princes Town Senior Comprehensive School to  compete in search of the best fighters in south Trinidad.

The academies represented were hosts Zion from Princes Town, Phoenix from Barrackpore, Kalari from Penal, Fine Line from Chaguanas and Al Hikmah from San Fernando. The show, which was well attended by fans from the different southern districts, lasted five hours. Apart from the competition, there were several exhibitions in the art of kickboxing. In the end, the winners of the various fights included Roger Baptiste of Fine Line, who fought Carlton Douglas of Zion. Female kickboxer Roopa Binda, also of Zion, beat Liana Boodram from Phoenix.

One of the more experienced kickboxers, Bradley “Van Damme” Samdeo from Kalari defeated Clinton “Pitbull” Ayes of Zion. In the final female fight, Anita Mahadeo from Zion defeated Kessy Lessie of Phoenix. The co-ordinator of the event, Naresh Bhola, a tutor at Zion, said that the show was a success and called for more regular kickboxing events in Princes Town. “I would like the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes to look into this matter and establish a centre for kickboxing for the south fighters,” Bhola said.