Beaton, Ramkissoon among top karatekas at GKF senior national championships

The Guyana Karate Federation (GKF) concluded a successful Senior National Championships this past Sunday as Keith Beaton, Roger Peroune and others shined during the day-long competition.

The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) came alive with top perfromances by the fighters in the two categories – Kata (forms) and Kumite (sparring). The competition commenced with the Kata, which saw exceptional performances as Jayanti Ram emerged winner in the Female 14-17 Kata, earning herself the first place, with Jessica Callender and Rehuma Holder placing second and third respectively.

In the Male 14-17 Kata, John McGrath copped the first place as Roy De Younge and Trevon Miller came in second and third. In the Female 18 and Over Kata, Wanda Agdomar came out on top, while Kristine Ramkissoon and Aolione Griffith placed second and third respectively.

The Male 18 and Over Kata saw the match for the coveted first place between last year’s finalist and 2017 champ Peroune and Malcolm Francis (2017 runner-up). Peroune brought his A-game and earned the first-place spot once again, Francis placed second and Otho Harris placed third.

First place in the Female Team Kata went to Team Association do Shotokan Karate-Guyana (ASK-G) comprising Agdomar, Ramkissoon and Griffith. Second place was taken by Team Guyana Karate College (GKC) – Genoveva Buelna, Ram and Nalini Rampersaud.

Male Team Kata saw Team ASK-G comprising Peroune, Francis and Avinash Ramgolam coming out victorious; earning second was National Martial Arts Association (NMAA) with members Rodwell Alleyne, Ryan Alleyne and Dillon Hyman and Team Berbice Shotokan Karate Dojo (BSKD) with members Mahadeo Ramotar, Shemar Parkinson and D’Andre DaSilva placed third.

The Female 14-17 Kumite saw Callender gaining first place and Reheima Holder placing second. In the Male 14-17 Under 68kg Kumite, Shakeem Walcott earned first place, Kevin Bradford second and Roy DeYounge third.

The Male 14-17 68kg and Over category saw Mark Wong placing first, Trevon Miller and Jerral Barker earning the second and third positions respectively. The Female 18 and Over minus 61kg Kumite saw Ram placing first in this division and Buelna earning the second place. The Female 18 and Over minus 76kg Kumite saw Griffith placing and Agdomar earning second.

In the Female 18 and Over, 76kg and Over Kumite, Ramkissoon earned first place and Rampersaud second. In the Male 18 and Over, Under 67kg category, Ryan Alleyne won first place, Ramgolam second and Harris third.

The Male 18 and Over, Under 84kg Kumite saw Parkinson win first place, Angelo Harris second and Rodwell Alleyne third. In the Male 18 and Over, 84kg and Over contest, Beaton won first place against Dillon Hyman who came in second (the two athletes have met in the finals of the senior nationals on numerous occasions) with Samuel Monroe earning third.

In Female Team Kumite, first place went to Team ASK-G comprising Agdomar, Ramkissoon and Griffith, and second place was taken by Team GKC – Buelna, Ram and Rampersaud.

Male Team Kumite saw Team NMAA featuring Rodwell Alleyne, Ryan Alleyne and Hyman came out victorious, earning second was Team ASK-G, with Beaton, Parkinson and Ramgolam.

Meanwhile, the organisers extended gracious and heartfelt thanks to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for all the assistance it offered leading up to this exceptional competition and thanked the volunteers, athletes, and the public as well.