Congratulations to Our Newest Team Wright Rising Star Winners for an amazing job taking the Grand Championship, at the Fight for Cancer International Karate Championship Tournament held in Atlantic City, N.J. Team Wrights U.S National Martial Art “Alliance” members Samir O’Neill, York Watson, Johnathon Peluyera, Douglas McCoy, Esteban Gudino, Jamal Bernard, Tony Harvin and Kenneth Jackson III all took home 1st Place in their Sparring Divisions. Prior, in the Kata (Forms Division), York Watson and Kenneth Jackson Black Belt dominated both taking 1st place. Next Samir O’Neill, Johnathan Peluyera, and Keith Price placed 2nd in Kata, with Joshua Peluyera following right behind in 3rd place. Finally, in the Weapons Division, team members Jonathan Peluyera and Keith Price placed 2nd, with Kenneth Jackson taking 3rd Place. Also, newest Female Competitor Barbara Alexander age 16 had no one in her Female Division. Instead, she opted to fight the 16 year old teenage Boys Division. Barbara beat 1 Teen 3-1 and lost in the finals taking second place in a close match. She was up 2-1 and the taller 6 foot boy used his long legs strategically to beat Barbara fast punching bare knuckles 3-2.
A special Congratulations goes out to Kenneth Jackson III with his terrific Grand Championship win. He dominated utilizing the UWA’s repertoire “Spinning Back Wind Kick Technique and Flying Jumping Round House Kick to the head, TO OUT KICK, and OUT PUNCH AND OUT SHOUT his opponent for the Grand Championship to win and rank Team Wright #1. Jackson won the finals against his formidable Tang-Soo-Do opponent, in the Kumite (Point Sparring) Divisions a 2-0 shutout.
Prior, Grand Master Austin Wright Sr. was acknowledged with a plaque for supporting the “Fight for Cancer” Karate Nationals for the last 25 years, being a former National Champion and a Head Coach by Grand Master G.A. Giacobbe, who is the Tang-Soo-Do International Tournament Director. Wright was one of 3 Grand Masters recognized along with 50 other Masters and Sensei’s nation-wide.
