Nine-year-old Hannah Farinha of Marian Academy was among the 72 successful students who participated in the Guyana Karate College’s (GKC) first grading examinations for the year on March 30.
The examinations were held at the GKC main dojo at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands.
Farinha, Kerry Ramkumar of Timehri, Matthew Hurry, Antoine Herod and Bharat Jhiant all achieved the rank of Shodan, more commonly known as first degree Black Belt.
Those promoted from second kyu to first kyu (Brown Belt) were Khalid Adams of Marian Academy, Zane Low, Ashley Seelall and Kenrick Cheeks.
Stefon Smith was outstanding and the only person to have skipped from 7 kyu (Orange Belt) to 5 kyu (Blue Belt).
Promoted from third kyu (Brown Belt) to second kyu (Brown Belt) were Rachael Ramlall, Rebecca Ramlall, Mickelly Rahaman, Zackary Persaud, Rajiv Lee, Ahren Singh, Arvin Seelall and Brad Reynolds.
The examinations were graced by the presence of 9th Degree Black Belt Shihan Frank Woon-a-Tai of Toronto, Canada where the headquarters of the world karate organization’s international Daigaku is located.
Woon-A-Tai’s visit to Guyana was on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of karate in Guyana.
Upon his departure from Guyana Master Woon-a-Tai will be heading to other Caribbean destinations under the jurisdiction of the International Karate Daigaku including Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent.
A number of karatekas from the GKC are still to be graded as several of them were out of the jurisdiction either or vacation or on personal commitments.
Karatekas who were unable to participate in the grading due to them residing in remote parts of Guyana will have arrangements put in place to make possible the undertaking of their grading examinations, said the GKC’s Jeffrey Wong.
