MIDDLE REGION—Seventeen year old Tyrell Pantophlet won the Grand Champion Trophy at the 22nd Puerto Rico International Tae kwon do Open Championship. A total of 15 athletes from St. Maarten from the King Yen Tae kwon do School returned home with medals.
Under the guidance of Grand master Theo Liu the team ranging in age from six to 17 won 14 gold medals and nine silver.
“This was a great result for us,” beamed Master Liu. “I always want to give all the children the chance to experience international competition. This time we carried a young team. We had three six year olds and even had three “special” athletes.”
Pantophlet took gold medals in both forms and sparring. Also earing two gold medals were Joey Narducci, Nathaniel Gabbidon, Adan Mathew.
Kharmian Boasman and Yaniek Patrick both won two golds and picked up a second silver medal in sparring.
Tyrone Washington and Emilius Rey each won a gold medal in sparring.
Earing silver medals in sparring were Younes Azbouni, Gimora Calmero, Jonathan Gabbidon, Amani Gijsbertha, Miguel de Weever, Kendall Mathew and Jaedon Serant.
Nearly 700 athletes representing Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Dominica Republic, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, St. Barths, Surinam, St. Maarten, US Virgin Islands, USA and host Puerto Rico entered the
Traveling with the team and Master Liu were Paulien Vuijst as therapist and team coordinator and coaches Leoudson Gijsbertha and Rodney Washington.
The trip was made possible by Oriental Caribbean Insurances, Euro Caribbean Link Up, Intermar, NAGICO, Visser Pharmacy, Central Drugstore, Labor Xpert, Guardian Group – Fatum, Gulf – Assuria Insurance, Ennia, Watkan Trading, Sister Marie Laurens School, Helmich Snijder Hill Side Christian School and La Palapa.
Source The daily Herald
