Karate kids bring back five medals

We reported their accomplishments earlier this week, and today we caught them at the International Airport as they returned triumphantly to Belize. The small delegation came back with five medals after their second participation in the World Shotocup Tournament. Quite a feat. The competition occurred over the past week in Canada and the Belizean athletes took on others from twenty-eight countries. Of the fourteen individuals that represented Belize, three won with five medals in the category of eight to nine males, ten to eleven females and sixteen-seventeen males.

John Nunez, Chief Instructor, Belize Shotokan Karate Assn.
“We’ve been practicing Shotokan here in Belize for over thirty years. In terms of participating with the I.S.K.F. it’s from 1984. The first international tournament we attended was also in Canada in 1993. That time we didn’t place, so to go back and do well, it is very vindicating.”

Rhiki Alegria, Gold and Bronze Medallist
“I won a gold and a bronze.”

Duane Moody
“For what?”

Rhiki Alegria
“For eight to nine year old competition—gold was for kumite and bronze was for Kati—Kati is like conjoined movements and kumite is fighting.”

Duane Moody
“How do you feel to have won two medals?”

Rhiki Alegria
“I feel good. I can’t explain how good I feel—it’s just unexplainable.”

Hanna Diskin, Silver and Bronze Medallist
“I felt very proud and it was unexpected because I thought the competition would be really, really hard knowing that it’s the world competition. But I’m very proud to represent Belize and to have won something for Belize. I won for the ten to eleven year old girls for kumit; I got a Bronze medal and for kata I got a silver.”

Luwani Nunez, Bronze Medallist
“When you win it, you kinda shock that you win it, but at the same time you put in the amount of effort and work so your not surprise but your still shocked. So it’s a difficult feeling to explain.”

Martin Alegria, Father of Rhiki Alegria
“It’s things like these that I should encourage all Belizeans—parents and kids—to get involve with. Positive things—the things that happen out there where we have kids like these giving their all to make Belize proud.”