By Marlon Munroe
Up to press time Guyana were the unofficial champions of the 11th International Shotokhan Karate Federation (ISKF) Pan American champions which wrapped up yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sport Hall (CASH).
What is a surety, however, was that Guyana’s Natalie Gibson, 31, finally copped the elusive gold medal in the adult women’s category of the kumite competition on yesterday’s final day.
Gibson, who was also nursing a knee injury, opted not to compete in the individual kata competition but had the Guyanese supporters in the arena on their feet when she scored the first point against Canadian Crystal Schultz.
The second point went to Schultz but the Guyanese gathering, sensing what Gibson’s achievement would mean for this country, was behind the home girl. For the final point, the two fighters bounced around trying to get an advantage over the other.
However, it was Gibson who made the first move 30 seconds before the final bell. It was a decisive blow to the jaw of Schultz. Pandemonium broke out in the CASH; team Guyana knew the magnitude of her feat both personally and nationally.
Gibson, when approached by Stabroek Sport for a comment was at a loss for words.
“It feels great,” was all that she could muster with an ear-to-ear grin. Gibson, who is a third degree black belt, missed out on a possible medal at last year’s Caribbean Championships in St. Lucia when she injured her knee in the medal rounds.
Eight Dan Master Frank Woon-A-Tai applauded Gibson’s achievement while making a fervent plea for more men and women to practice karate. He said that Gibson should feel proud of her distinction as a Pan American champion.
Woon-A-Tai also congratulated Guyana on its medal haul at the tournament and said if the Guyanese karatekas continued to perform with such distinction then it is hoped that someday Guyana would host a world championship. Such a tournament though would have over 60 countries participating as opposed to the 12 that were involved in the Pan American championships, according to Woon-A-Tai.
It was also a good day for the local junior karatekas. Eight-year-old Aliya Wong won the individual kata and kumite 8-9 age group categories before going on to assist her team to snatch gold also. The country also tasted success on the male side with Mark Wong winning the individual kata and kumite competitions in the 8-9 age group category while his compatriots Tariq Dundas and Nathan Hackett were second and third respectively.
Guyana ruled the roost in the junior team and individual kata competitions. Leah Shariff won the girls’ 10-11 individual kata while she secured bronze in the kumite competition and her teammate Tashana Wong got the siver. Mikhail Broomes and Alexander Cheeks, who went on to take the top podium position in the individual kumite, got silver and bronze respectively in the boys’ 10-11 individual kata competition.
It was all Guyana in the 13-14 age group individual kumite competition before Joshua Broomes, who breezed through to the gold medal match, was disqualified for and ended up with the silver.
The girls made up with a sweep of the medals. Sophie Mc Koy took gold while Christine Dey and Amber Lowe got the silver and bronze medals. Dey received gold in the individual kata and settled for second. In the boys’ 12-13 team kata Guyana took silver and bronze with Barbados taking gold.
Guyana also swept the team kata in the boys’ 14-15 age group while Shane Rahaman, who competed in Guyana’s A-team that won the gold medal, won the individual kata and kumite competitions. On the distaff side junior Caribbean champion and Pan American silver medallist Kristina Cheeks took silver in the individual kata competition behind Canada’s Alexa Villanueva; Simonica Fanfair had to settle for third.
Fanfair turned the tables on Cheeks in the individual kumite competition to take the silver medal while Cheeks took third with Villanueva completing the double. In the team kata in the 16-17 age group Guyana took the silver medal behind front runners Antigua.
Samuel Ming glided his way to individual kata gold in the 16-17 age group over Stuart Holder (silver) and Kyle Fenty (bronze). However, the tables were turned on him in the kumite with Holder fighting his way to the gold medal position over Fenty and Ming respectively.
Guyana got third in the team kumite with Jamaica taking the gold medal and Trinidad & Tobago holding on for silver.
Full results in tomorrow’s issue.
