…as Guyana finish third in Roraima Cup Judo

Guyana’s lone gold medal won at the 2009 Roraima Cup International Judo Competition in Boa Vista, Brazil this past weekend came from the efforts of Athena Gaskin, the only female in the six-member squad.

Athena Gaskin (R) stands firm on the podium after receiving her gold medal while to the left is second place finisher Bruna Barudao.

Gaskin topped the under-48 kg category after defeating her opponent Bruna Barudao in two of their three fights.

The additional efforts of her fellow compatriots which got Guyana two silver and two bronze medals gave them the overall third place  to the Roraima and Amazonas teams who finished first and second respectively.

Eleven-year old Hannibal Gaskin fighting in the under-38 kg lost his first fight to gold medalist Yago Luiz and bounced back to defeat Brandon Fontes to cop the silver medal while Raoul Archer won three of his four fights in the under-83 kg category to claim Guyana’s other silver medal

Fontes’ team mate Verrol Williams who fought in the same weight category won bronze while overseas-based Guyanese Edward De Lima accounted for the other bronze medal the team won fighting in the under-100 kg category.

Guyana failed to make the podium in the under-73 kg category which Vernon Williams and Charles Ambrose had entered.

Also present to witness the championships was President of the Guyana Judo Association, Geoffrey Sankies and Sensei Charles Ambrose.