-says Jeffrey Wong
By Marlon Munroe
In order to stage a successful 11th International Shotokan Federation (ISKF) Pan American Karate Championships, the Guyana Karate College (GKC) says they are in need of a healthy injection of corporate funds.
So says GKC Sensei Jeffrey Wong yesterday.
The GKC is riding on a high following the college’s successful showing at the just-concluded National Junior Karate Championships and Wong is anticipating similar success come August 15-19 the dates for the Pan American championships.
The event will be held at the Princess Hotel and according to Wong, some systems are already in place but the GKC is currently restricted because of a shortage of funds.
Wong said that the planners of the event will be sending out letters to companies and currently the budget stands in the vicinity of $15 million.
Yesterday, he acknowledged that times are tough financially but said he hoped that corporate Guyana could support the venture which will see participation from more than 20 countries.
Wong emphasised that the Guyanese karatekas have the wherewithal to produce another stellar performance as they did last year since they have worked tirelessly for the tournament.
He was particularly pleased that in this year’s competition, there will be 12 local black belt students participating in the different age groups and events.
When Stabroek Sport spoke with some of the athletes from the GKC, they were confident ahead of the tournament. Current brown belt karatekas Tanya Teixeira, Ashley Lopes and Jeffrey Wong Jr., who made Dan at the last grading exercise, said that they have been practising very hard and have been working doubly harder on the new techniques.
They will be participating in the team and individual kata as well as the kumite events. Wong added that he, along with Sensei Mortley, who will be competing at the games, will be looking to familiarise the athletes with some of the revised rules of the ISKF.
In a run-up to the tournament, Masters Teriyuki Okazaki and Yutaka Yaguchi will be hosting a training symposium, some seminars and a few examinations which will be sanctioned by the ISKF.
