Sixty karatekas were successful at a grading examination conducted by Sensei Christopher Chaves which was held on July 25 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall under the Japan Karate Association/World Federation Guyana (JKA/WFG).

Dan awardees pose in front of JKA/WF Guyana Instructors and kyu examinees with their diplomas - from left are Stephen Michael, Prince Roberts, Stephanie Kerry, Jairaj Chandrica and Christopher Waddell.

Three karatekas moved up from 2nd kyu brown to 1st kyu brown, three from 3rd kyu brown to 2nd kyu brown, one from 4th kyu purple to 3B kyu brown, and one from 3Bkyu brown to 3 kyu brown.

Two were promoted from 5th kyu purple to 4th kyu purple and two from 5th kyu purple to 4Bkyu purple, while fourteen were promoted from green to purple.

Nine were promoted from orange to green, while in the largest category twenty-one karatekas attained orange belts from yellow.  Five beginners were promoted from white belt to yellow.

The sixty karatekas who took the JKW/WF Guyana examinations were the first batch to be tested by Sensei Chaves who is authorized by JKA/WF America to conduct one Kyu examination per year.

Five karatekas who successfully attained their Shodan (First Dan Black Belt) in March 2009 from Japanese Master Shojiro Koyama received their Dan Diplomas after the grading exercise was completed.

The Dan Diplomas were issued by the Japan Karate Association Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.  The awardees are Stephen Michael, Prince Roberts, Stephanie Kerry, Jairaj Chandrica and Christopher Waddell.

The next examination is scheduled for the end of November 2009 and will be conducted by Japanese, Master Shigeru Takashina.