Gym to host CAC karate

Barbadians will be treated to a number of exciting firsts when the Caribbean and Central American Karate Championships are staged at the gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Wildey,  from April 28 to May 1.
It will be the first time that the tournament will be held in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Also for the first time, there will be a junior component for competitors ages 12 to 19.
Several high-powered officials such as Antonio Espinosa, first vice-president of the World Karate Federation and William Millicent, president of the Pan American body, expected in for the four-day event.
Local officials will also benefit from a technical seminar which is to be staged two days before the action kicks off.
In a press conference at the National Sports Council’s (NSC) headquarters yesterday, Director of Sports Erskine King said that Barbados would benefit tremendously from hosting the tournament.
Three hundred competitors are booked to take part in the 85 categories, with Venezuela alone bringing 145 of them.
The 15 countries taking part are Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guatemala,  Dominican Republic, Suriname, Haiti, Venezuela, Mexico, Aruba, Panama, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Columbia, Curacao and hosts Barbados.  
King disclosed that although the visiting teams are responsible for their airfare and accommodation, Barbados will face a bill of more than $150 000 to cover the cost of ground transportation and use of the gym.
Director and president of the Barbados Karate Federation, Joel Linton, explained that a number of authorizations had to be granted before Barbados could disclose that they would be hosting the tournament.
The tournament will start on Heroes Day and the organizers will be hoping that some new heroes emerge for Barbados.
The top performers can qualify for Pan American Games.
It is expected that Curtis Cummins, Akil Ifill and Shirley Lewis will be among some of Barbados’ biggest hopes when the local team is announced this weekend.
The tournament is being supported by the Barbados Olympic Association, the Barbados Tourism Authority, the NSC and the Ministry of Family, Culture, Sport and Youth. King pointed out that a brief opening ceremony intended to depict and reflect Barbados will be held on the first day.