By Henri Morineau
Students of master Ronald Simpson’s Cayman Taekwondo Academy earned 13 medals at the 2024 Toronto Open Taekwondo Championships, held earlier this month.
Nearly 100 clubs took part in the event, including a Cayman team of seven athletes, in a pool of over 800 competitors.
“This was a step up for our students to be involved in such a large event and they stepped up to the task of finishing in the medal standing in all of their events,” said Simpson.
The Cayman juniors included Nilmar Davis Blanford, who took gold and silver; Samuel Quiros Guha, silver and bronze; Milliani Clarke, two silvers; Marc Macinas two silvers; and Kylaisha-Ann Ebanks, a silver and a bronze.
Davis Blanford, a green belt, earned impressive results for his team after he was automatically awarded gold in his group and promoted to the red belt division, where he won silver, which is two levels above his current rank.
“A great experience for [Nilmar Davis Blanford] and he was able to get silver in that division,” Simpson added.
In the adult category, Cayman’s Daniel Long took gold and silver, and Juliferd Dineros won gold.
A trophy was presented to Simpson and his team from the organiser and Grand Master Choung Young Su for their success at the event.
Henri Morineau was a Cayman Compass summer intern.
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