47 karatekas successful at Shotokan Karate grading exams

Forty-seven karatekas were successful when the Association-do Shotokan Karate (Guyana) held its first grading for the year, for Berbice students, at the Albion Dojo on Sunday.
Six students were moved from 10 Kyu (white belt) to 8 Kyu (yellow belt), and five from 10 Kyu to 7 Kyu (orange belt). A further nine were moved from 8 Kyu to 7 Kyu (green belt), and another ten were moved from 7 Kyu to 6 Kyu, while two others were moved from 7 Kyu to 5 Kyu (blue belt).
Five green belts were also promoted, with two going to 5 Kyu and two to 4 Kyu (purple). two student was promoted from 4 Kyu to 3 Kyu (brown belt) and one from purple to 3 second Dan.
7th Dan Chief Instructor Shihan Amir Khouri was the chief examiner, and was assisted by 7th Dan instructor Clinton Moriah and 6th Dan instructor Sensei Hazrat Ali.

Those promoted from 10 Kyu to 8 Kyu are Curtis Austin, Sariana Naglen, Shane Dillon, Michael Subramani, Teanbre Victor and Amiaha Williams; while those promoted from 10 Kyu to 7 Kyu are Aafif Amin, Hiya Harrripersaud, Anisha Ali, Disha Bissessar, and Manishah Narain.
Those promoted from 8 Kyu to 7 Kyu are Nathan Seelochan, Ky-Lhee Castello, Navindra Utam, Neera Permanand, Calab Ramsaywack, Aryan Badley, Tyler Adams, Abdur Pooran and Aarif Wahab.
Chad Gupta, Kailan Azar, Kaivan Azar, Jayden Persaud, Nikhel Rambeer, Padma Devi, Morvin Sookdeo, Ronald Toolsie, Shaniya Narain and Tanvir Sookraj were promoted from 7 Kyu to 6 Kyu, while Aaliyah Persaud and Muzzammil Rafeek were promoted from 7 Kyu to 5 Kyu.
Fahima Haniff, Fazaad and Fawaaz Yashwardeo, Kaylah Azar and Javier DeFreitas were promoted from 6 Kyu to 5 Kyu, while Fawaz Haniff and Bibi Gafoor were promoted from 6 Kyu to 4 Kyu.
Ridwan Elemoodeen, Alejandro Persaud and Isabella Anamayah were promoted from 5 Kyu to 4 Kyu. Dharamraj Mohobir was promoted from 5 Kyu to 3 Kyu (first Dan brown belt),
Chad Danny and Rashmi Rampersaud were promoted from 4 Kyu to 3 Kyu, and Salih Ali from 3 Kyu to 2 Kyu (second Dan brown belt).
Meanwhile, five students from the Albion Dojo were promoted last week in Georgetown: Seenarine Moonsammy, Basdeo Bissessar, Pretti Sukdeo and Ethian Anamayahall became first Dan black belts, while Andy-Sam Reddy became a fourth Dan black belt.
Ridwan Elemoodeen, Alejandro Persaud and Isabella Anamayah were promoted from 5 Kyu to 4 Kyu; Dharamraj Mohobir was promoted from 5 Kyu to 3 Kyu (first Dan brown belt);
Chad Danny and Rashmi Rampersaud were promoted from 4 Kyu to 3 Kyu, and Salih Ali from 3 Kyu to 2 Kyu (second Dan brown belt).
Chief Instructor Shihan Amir Khouri, in encouraging the karatekas to continue training, noting that it is now until acquiring one s first level black belt that the training really starts.
This is your preparation now as you Kyu grades, but when you reach your black belt level, the training really starts then; you have a lot of work to do. It is a bit easy now, but the important thing is that you continue training, he advised.
He also encouraged the students to pay attention to their academics and to give that priority.
“If you don t have a balance, it is not going to be good enough too. You have to do some exercise as much as you are spending a lot of time studying, the 7th Dan black belt karateka said. (Andrew Carmichael)