A team from the House of Shotokan Karate Academy was in Taylor Michigan last week to represent Belize at the Detroit National Karate Championship - which was held on the 16th of this month.
After all the hard work and dedication the team told Seven News today that it did pay off for them since they dominated the Black Belt division by winning 3 first place and two second place trophies.
Karate Instructor Master Ray Kelly told us what the competition was like for Belize.
Master Ray Kelly, Instructor
"The country of Belize House of Shotokan Karate Academy receive an invitation from a major organizer in Michigan inviting our dojo to participate in the national karate tournament which attracted maybe approximately 850 competitors from all over the United States and the country of Canada. The group that we send out is the Belize elite karate team that is composes of members from within House of Shotokan Academy that I coach. The team members went there, we had black belt competitors and we also had children competitors that went with us. Those black belt competitors and child competitors all came back with wins for the country of Belize. The competitors brought back 3 black belt trophies and also our child that attended that event from the Belize elite karate team, he came back with a 5th place win for me I think that was fantastic because alone in his category he was competing about with 40 plus children just in his category and for him to be trained n such a short time and to go to the United States and put that effort forward I commend him for an outstanding job."
Jeshaun Fraser, 5th Place Winner
"It was very challenging but I still came and won this medal."
Monica Bodden
"When you talk about challenging, which part was the hardest part for you?"
Jeshaun Fraser, 5th Place Winner
"When I was fighting."
Monica Bodden
"Who did you fight against? Which country?"
Jeshaun Fraser, 5th Place Winner
"A lot of countries from the world."
Monica Bodden
"So it was very challenging for you?"
Jeshaun Fraser, 5th Place Winner
"Very."
Monica Bodden
"What was preparation like getting ready for this?"
Jeshaun Fraser, 5th Place Winner
"Every Saturday we run up and down and we do kicks and punches to practice for it."
Tania Kelly
"We travel on Friday and we start to compete at 8 o' clock in the mornings. First we did katas and there we came in first and then we did fighting afterwards which we compete also for the grand championship."
Monica Bodden
"Was it challenging?"
Tania Kelly
"It was challenging because there were black belts and also they had been training as we did."
Monica Bodden
"Was it the first time you participated in such a competition?"
Tania Kelly
"Yes it was my first time going to the United States and participate so I was very nervous."
Tania Kelly battled it out in the women's black belt division with the karate bo staff weapon and won first place, Ray Kelly won first place in the Karate master division, Carmelita Kuylen won first place in the women's black belt open hand division and Jeshaun Fraser won 5th place in the children beginner division. The now continues training in preparation for an upcoming Tae-kwando Competition in Mexico.
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