Senior martial artists Roger Peroune and Nyota Rodrigues were among the top performers when the Guyana Karate Federation (GKF) held its 2016 Senior National Karate Championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Sunday last.
Peroune, a 4th Dan black belt finished in first place of Male 18+ Kata category while Rodrigues another senior martial artist placed first in the similar category for females. Rodrigues then teamed with Loren Black and Christina Chaves as part of the Shotokan Karate Dojo’s team who won the women’s Kata team event.
In the men’s Kata team event, Peroune, Malcolm Francis and Patrick Gurahoo emerged winners of that category. Other first place winners included; Tashana Wong (Female 14-17 Kata), Trevon Miller (14-17 Kata), Timothy Chand (14-17 Kumite), Joel Kellman (Male 18+ -67kg Kumite), Roland Fanfair (Male 18+ -84kg Kumite).
The tournament, according to GKF President and senior instructor Sensei Amir Khouri was used as a measuring stick as to further assess fighters for upcoming tournaments, while helping those senior fighters to further get in shape in a bid for the 2020 Olympics.