Karate: Run Volcano International Cup in Reunion-Helen finishes third |23 March 2010
Sempai Calix Lavigne fought in the under 80kg division, while sensei Phillip Verghese headed
In the semifinal, Helen faced veteran and former French champion Jean Luc Vedapodagom of Reunion and he lost by waza-ari (half point). Vedapodagom went on to win this category with victory over Keni Vardin of Mauritius in the final.
Lavigne, who was making his international debut, lost by waza-ari after his opponent scored with a low kick.
Veteran South African fighter Xolani Majozi defeated Emmanuel Pierre of Reunion in the under-80kg final.
Organised by the Reunion Kyokushin Organisation, the tournament was fought under the International Karate Federation knockdown rules.
The chairman of Kyokushin in Africa, Shihan Kenny Uytenbogaardt, 7th dan, was present as the supreme judge and also held a meeting with representatives of the various dojo operators from the four countries – South Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius and Reunion – who took part in the tournament.