Karate: Kyokushin Ryu World Tournament |24 November 2023

Richard on the Podium (first right)

Richard Ah-Weng finishes 4th

Since 1987, Seychellois male fighters from the Kyokushin Karate School have been competing at World Tournaments but have never reached the semifinal stages.

Sempai Richard Ah-Weng broke this 36-year-old jinx by coming out fourth at the 1st World Kyokushin Ryu Karate Tournament held in the Philippines last weekend, thus entering the history books.

Seychelles was being represented by two fighters, Sempai Richard and Sempai Garett Arnephy, both 1st dans and three officials, namely Shihan Phillip Moustache 7thdan,  Shihan Philip Verghese 6th dan and Sensei Erna Athanasius 3rd dan.

Shihan Verghese was the main referee for all the final fights and was also appointed on the Officiating Committee.

Sensei Erna was in charge of weighing all the international fighters and served as the Seconds for the Seychellois fighters.

Shihan Moustache is a Member of the International Council and was at the officiating table. 

Prior to the main event, a grading session was held for international senior grades with Shihan Moustache being on the three-man grading panel.

Those attempting to be upgraded were required to demonstrate all basic and advanced techniques (Kihon and Ido Geiko), Katas (forms) as well as undergo Kumite (fighting).

A meeting for all Branch Chiefs world-wide was held where it was announced that the founder of the International Karate Alliance Kyokushin-Ryu (IKAK), Kancho Peter Chong 9th dan, had retired and passed on the helm to his son, Shihan Jackie Chong.

Kancho Peter Chong was a direct student of the founder of Kyokushin Karate Sosai Mas Oyama and has been in Kyokushin for over 50 years. 

Over the ensuing two days, fighters from 34 countries competed in full contact fights conducted under the Kyokushin Knock down rules with no protective equipment.

The first Seychellois fighter in action was Sempai Garett who met Jay Rifo from the Philippines in the Under-75kg category.

Sempai Garett dominated his opponent with strong low kicks and powerful knee strikes to the body.

 His next opponent in the quarterfinals was Yuto Nakamura, a strong Japanese fighter from Kagoshima. The reputation of the Japanese did not bother Sempai Garett who fought hard connecting with strong knee strikes to the body. A slight injury picked up in his previous fight hampered his fighting ability and he narrowly lost on points.

Nakamura went on to finish third in the under-75kg category, with the winner coming from Pakistan.

Sempai Richard won a bye to the semifinals and was required to perform the mandatory Tamashiwari (board breaking) with Seiken (fist), Shuto (knife hand), Hiji (elbow) and Kakato (foot).

This was the first time he attempted Tamashiwari and he broke all his boards.

In the semifinals he met M Ibraghim, a strong Russian fighter and student of the legendary Kyokushin fighter, Sensei Lechi Kurbanov.

Sempai Richard fought very well but accidentally punched his opponent twice in the face which earned him a Genten (minus Half Point).

The Genten cost him to lose his fight and his opponent ended as the eventual winner in the category. Sempai Richard then had to fight for the 3rd and 4th place and his opponent was Eugene Yeo of Singapore.

He lost narrowly and ended up taking the 4th place which made history for the Kyokushin School.

All in all, the two fighters put up an extremely good performance despite this being their first international tournament experience.

With more international exposure, the future looks very promising for the upcoming fighters.

The day after the tournament, an International Training Camp was held at the Blue Coral Hotel, in San Juan, Batangas.

Shihan Moustache was the main instructor and Shihan Verghese also took a class, attesting to the high standard here.

The next major event will be an international Tournament in China next year.

The Kyokushin Ryu School would like to thank the following sponsors for their assistance.

They are Hunt Deltel, IOIG and Seychelles Karate Federation. Congratulations to Sempai Richard on this achievement.

Contributed