Team Elite Karate star at local meets

TEAM Elite Karate Club finished another silverware-littered weekend, however this time it was at two different tournaments.

The club returned to their roots when they competed at both the ISKA (International Sports Karate Association) Martial Arts Championship on November 2, and the TAK Southern Classics Championships on November 3, a campaign that saw them bring home 43 medals overall.

At the ISKA Championships at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Tacarigua, the club based in Sangre Grande sent a six-member team to the event to compete in open forms, traditional forms and point sparring, where they captured 15 medals. Both Chelsea and Christian Winter seized three gold medals, while Vishal Sankar finished with two gold and one silver medal. His brother Vikash got one gold and one silver medal, while Malika Williams copied the same feat at the event.

Last Sunday, at the Classics, featured a trip to Pleasantville, where this time a 13-member team took home 28 medals, with the Winter siblings winning five gold medals between them, while the Sankars in the mix as well; Vishal taking one gold, one silver and one bronze, while Vikash finished with a gold and a silver medal. Williams also finished on the podium as well, earning a silver and a bronze medal.

“It was a normal day (for the team), we just did our stuff and we left,” explained Barry Winter, coach of the Team Elite squad. Both he and his wife, Lena, are joint chief instructors at the club. “There were a lot of new clubs that we don’t know, and new fighters that we don’t know, but at the end of the day, it was the same kind of system, when it comes down to the sparring. It was just about getting there and doing what you have to do.”

Winter is satisfied with the effort by his club this year. “We had a really good run (this year),” he continued. “We had some injury problems with some of our athletes, but we’re happy to see them back out, and winning again and it’s all about finishing the season strong as we’ll then look forward to future events as they come.”

Team Elite may be contacted at 313-1101, or 477-4457, and at www.teamelitekaratett.com.

RESULTS

ISKA Championships –

Chelsea Winter: three gold

Christian Winter: three gold

Vishal Sankar: two gold, one silver

Vikash Sankar: one gold, one silver

Malika Williams: one gold, one silver

Jaheem Browne: one gold, one silver

TAK Southern Classics –

Christian Winter: three gold

Chelsea Winter: two gold

Vishal Sankar: one gold, one silver, one bronze

Vikash Sankar: one gold, one silver

Melina Balkaran: two gold

Jayon Grant: two gold

Isaiah Guerra: one gold, one bronze

Al-Zhara Ali: two bronze

Julian Beckles: two silver

Phillip Rivera: one gold, one silver

Jaheem Browne: one gold, one silver

Malika Williams: one silver, one bronze

Rodney Lindsay: two bronze