4th IKD World Cup
-T&T emerge as overall champion
Although surrendering the overall title to Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana ended the 4th International Karate Daigaku (IKD) World Cup with gold medal performances in the teams Kata, Bunkai, Kumite, and Enbu, respectively, at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.
The Guyanese combination of Malcolm Francis, Jason Jerrick, and Keith Beaton, who emanated from the YMCA Dojo, secured the top spot in the Kata, Bunkai, Kumite, and Enbu in the men’s 40-49 team section.
Individually, Francis walked away with gold in the Kumite section and bronze in the Kata segment, with Beaton securing a bronze in the latter category.
Similarly, the Guyana Karate College (GKC) team, which comprises instructors Roland Fanfair, Patrick Gurahoo, and Lawrence Low, snared the silver medal in the men’s 50+ Masters Section. Individually, Fanfair captured silver in the Kata 40-59 pool.
Meanwhile, Savannah Singh won the girl’s 8-10 Kumite title, with countrywoman Rickiya Obermuller ending in the runner-up position. The duo would reverse positions in the individual Kata section as Obermuller emerged victorious.
Kelly Carter of Guyana secured a gold medal in the girl’s 11-13 Kumite section, while Marissa Appanah and Sasika Dyasindoo completed the sweep of the division with a second and third place finish.
In identical fashion, Azari Samuels emerged victorious in the boy’s 8-10 Kumite section, with compatriots Aidan Alli and Ayaan Nejal completing the sweep in that order.
Also, Chelsea Benjamin clinched gold in the girl’s 14-16 Kumite, besting Daena Bird and Antigua and Barbuda and Erryn Nelson of Barbados, who ended in second and third, respectively, while Ethan Khan finished atop the podium in the boy’s 5-7 Team Kata and Bunkai sections.
On the other hand, Mariah Francis of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) walked away with the silver medal in the girl’s 11-13 Kata and Bunkai section, while teammate Shamar Francis registered a second-place finish in the boy’s 17-19 Kumite, Bunkai, Enbu, and Team Kata sections.
Avinash Ramgolam of YMCA captured the silver medal in the men’s 20-39 Team Kata, Bunkai, and Enbu categories, while a bronze medal was realised in the Team Kumite section.
His clubmate, Roger Peroune, secured an individual bronze in the men’s 20-39 segment of the Kumite and Kata. Yam Chu walked away with a second-place finish in the women’s 20-39 (61 kg) Kumite segment.
