Absolutely, Positively an “EPIC BLAST” – SEIDO Karate International Tournament April 2019 in Sydney
It was an Absolutely, Positively “EPIC BLAST” – thank you Sydney for hosting all 151 of us for tournament week in April 2019… Thank you to Sei Shihan Ino, Kyoshi Leigh and all your super hard working members of the Tournament Committee…. Special moments and memories started as soon as we arrived to take up our lodgings at the wonderful MERITON Hotel on Kent Street) in Darling Harbour’s Chinatown central…. My special moments of trip and in no particular order as they were all very special indeed:
- All of us managing to be housed together in Sydney
- Getting to spend time getting to know all our amazing Dojo parents
- Our group excursions, walking the Sydney Harbour Bridge, our Manly Beach trip, our Sydney Opera House walk
- Enjoying Tournament Day and the exciting results and achievements of all our 51 children and 10 adults who competed hard
- Overall medal tally total 86: 42 Gold, 25 Silver, 19 Bronze and Grand Champion Team Kata Gold
- The Hanshi House Kata demonstrations with Hanshi Renzie from New Zealand, Sei Shihan Toshi and Sei Shihan Suzuki from Japan and Sei Shihan Michael from Honbu USA
- The Party with everyone in the MERITON Penthouse and the special Darling Harbour fireworks
- The amazing Swallow-Paraku family performance of their special Haka for the Dojo
But most of all the genuine and strong “AROHA and TOGETHERNESS” connecting our little Dojo families, adults, children and friends together… I am so very privileged and blessed to be surrounded by so many incredibly generous and genuine people from so many walks of life and backgrounds, all accompanying me on this journey of teaching our children about the world we live in through travel, competition and friendship through this wonderful life art we call “SEIDO Karate” Thank you OSU Ken Szeto