The local martial arts arena will be a buzz with activity in the upcoming months, as the Korean International Martial Arts Guyana (KIMAG) entity prepares to host its third installment of the ‘Guyana, South America Undiscovered’ martial arts competition.
The three-day event will see participation of martial artists from several countries, among which are Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Barbados, Canada, USA and Uganda. A wide array of prizes will be up for grabs.
Tourism Ministry’s Donald Sinclair(L), Roland Eudoxie, Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton (C), Hand-in-Hand Marketing Rep, and Assistant Director of Sport Brian Smith pose for a photo at the launching
“Martial arts can contribute to the social and economic development of our country, while improving the lives of youths,” President of KIMAG, Roland Eudoxie, stated at the launching.
The second dan martial artist noted that the competition would create a platform for marketing of the discipline. It is his hope that martial arts can be developed through this competition.
“KIMAG anticipates that the ‘Guyana, South America Undiscovered’ will serve as a hub for the development of martial arts in Guyana, and….attract martial arts family and friends from across the globe,” Eudoxie stated.
The competition will be hosted during July 20-22, and is opened to martial artists as young as five years old. “There will be divisions in both traditional and freestyle from five years and up for both males and females,” Eudoxie has said.
The participants will compete in the following categories: empty hand kata, weapon kata, grappling, points sparring, team kata, and team sparring.
Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton, was present at the launch to give his blessing to the event. The minister spoke extensively on the introduction and publicity of other sports that are not mainstream in Guyana. “We want to know about other sports. We might have sportsmen and women who could excel in the sporting fraternity that we might not have at this point in time here in Guyana,” Dr. Norton stated.
Aside from the competition, Eudoxie announced that the organization is working on a special project. “KIMAG is proud to announce that we’re presently working on filming a professional action movie right here in Guyana,” he declared. Popular martial artists such as action Film Director Art Camacho, Tae Bo, Instructor Billy Banks and Martial Arts Expert KJN Eric Kovaleski have all confirmed that they will travel to Guyana to participate in the event, he announced.
Within the months leading up to the event, KIMAG is urging the public to support its fundraising venture, the proceeds of which will go directly to the hosting of the event. The organization has said it is planning on hosting a bar-b-que, cake sale and a walk-a-thon among other fund-raising activities. Additionally, the competition has already received sponsorship from Hand-in-Hand Group of Insurance Companies and the National Sports Commission.
Established in 2015 by Roland Eudoxie, KIMAG is currently located in Georgetown and at Port Kaituma, and has a total of 78 students.
