Martial arts lovers were treated to a wonderful day of thrills and spills as the 40th Annual Seido Karate Tournament rocked the auditorium of the Donald Sangster Hall at University of Technology (UTech) recently.

Competitors from all the major martial schools were in attendance — Karate, Tae kwon do, Kickboxing — and from as young as age three the athletes put on displays of skill, timing and power that belied their young ages. The tournament attracted over 300 participants and the large crowd was thoroughly entertained. Of special interest was the high school division that always generates intense rivalry. Calabar defeated Kingston College in the finals in this very exciting competition.

But the spotlight was on the grand championship bouts that more than lived up to expectations.

In the finals it was a three way fight off between many-times champion Paul Williams of New York Seido, who was this year’s over 40 champion, Ricardo Lewis of tae kewon do, who was lightweight champion, and heavyweight champion Chris Sinclair of New York Seido.

Williams and Sinclair easily dispatched Lewis in their respective fights, even though he put up a spirited display, but were outmatched by the more seasoned fighters, setting up a mouth-watering Grand Championship Final.

It was an epic battle for the championship as both fighters were evenly matched, trading blows at lightning speed that had the judges often calling points for both big men at the same time. But after two gruelling rounds, Sinclair managed to pull away from the more seasoned Williams and won the classic battle nine points to four. Ironically, both men are of Jamaican origin and train together in New York.

The crowd was treated to a great spectacle of points fighting at its best, as both men, who are veterans on the US circuit, traded blows, both often wincing in pain at times from the heavy punches and kicks. It was Sinclair’s first Grand Championship after many years of trying.

Sabrina Richards of Jamaica Taekwondo retained her title that she won last year and battled her way to being Female Grand Champion again, defeating Marissa Jones of Rising Sun in the finals. Jones, after winning her tough division, put in a much-improved performance over last year but was no match for Richards, who is on the National Combined Team.

Chief Instructor of Seido Karate Sei Shihan, Tony Robinson said that Grand Championship fight between Williams and Sinclair was the best that he had seen in many years, and that it showed that fighters can put on a great display of power-fighting that is not only clean, but wonderful to watch. “It was a classic,” Robinson said.

The Seido Annual Karate Tournament, sponsored by the Sports Development Foundation and Mighty Fist is a respected fixture on the martial arts calendar and is known for its strong emphasis on discipline.