The Little Diamond Martial Arts Academy (LDMAA) hosted its international martial arts tournament recently at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, carting off the lion’s share of the accolades that were at stake.
Fifty-eight competitors from three schools in Guyana and one from Suriname participated in the two-day competition. The LDMAA, under the stewardship of Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim, earned 13 first place finishes, 16 runner-up spots and 11 thirds; they also claimed one grand champion trophy.
The LDMAA had students from their Enmore, Covent Garden, Parfaite Harmonie and Wales dojos competing in the tournament.
The Guyana Martial Arts Masters Association (GMAMA) hall-of-fame award went to Parsuram Arjune of Wales, while Omesh Jankie of Covent Garden was voted student-of-the-year. A special award went to Marcell Lynda Yassim for her contribution to martial arts over the years, while the founder and master instructor of the year award went to Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim.
The LDMAA was also voted martial arts school of the year, while Michael Chotoo of Wales copped the parent of the year accolade.
The Shuriken Karate School of Suriname, with six students, won 22 trophies/ medals and was the recipient of two hall of fame awards.
A special award was given to Instructor Shihan Nowieldath Khedoe of Suriname, while his son Lorenzo Khedoe was presented with a student of the year award.
Shihan Nowieldath Khedoe also received his fifth Dan Shin-Kai-Ryu certificate and third Dan certificates in self-defence and mixed martial Arts, while Christopher Norville was also presented with his fifth Dan Shin-Kai-Ryu certificate.
The LDMAA lost the team championship trophy to Black Hawks Martial Arts Network, while the other competing school was the Harpy Eagle Martial Arts Club.
Also at the tournament, Shihan Nowieldath Khedoe and Marline Younge of the Enmore dojo were presented with LDMAA life members certificates, while Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who was present at the championship, received an honourary third Dan black belt and a life member certificate.
The tournament was a collaborative effort by Shihan Abdool Nazim Yassim, the Sport Ministry, National Sports Commission, Macorp, 4R General Store, Survival Supermarket, Rohan’s Auto Sales, Starr Computers, Len’s Craft Optical, Gizmos and Gadgets, Mr Sharma of Enmore and Mr Deokanandan.
