BAVINA SOOKDEO
Martial artist Rohan Surujdeo triumphed over his opponents at the Dragon Cup Caribbean X tournament held in August at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.
Surujdeo, 17, captured the prized championship with a dazzling performance involving kicks, punches and concrete blocks, The black-belt holder took the top spot in the weapon category with a choreographed sequence of moves using the Bo-staff – a stick that is five-feet long. He also won the sparring category and placed third in the open kata event. Open kata is a choreographed sequence of moves using the hands and feet.
The Dragon Cup Caribbean X is an annual martial arts competition with a decade-long legacy. Spearheaded by Sifu Ronald Ramlochan, this event has evolved into a pivotal platform for martial artists to demonstrate their skills and compete at the highest level.
Surujdeo, who is a form-six student and head boy at Vishnu Boys’ Hindu College, Caroni, gets his skill training at Pandolin’s Martial Arts Academy at Rock River Road, St Helena Village, Piarco.
[caption id="attachment_1034295" align="alignnone" width="819"] Rohan Surujdeo with his stash of awards and trophies won at martial arts competitions. -[/caption]
The academy, founded in 1987 by Gordon McAlpin, a seventh-degree black belt holder, has been an integral part of the Dragon Cup Caribbean X tournament since its inception. Pandolin specialises in Tiger System Karate which involves kicks, punches, blocks and more.
Speaking about his performance Surujdeo who is from Piarco said, “This is a momentous achievement for me, as it marks the first medals and trophies I’ve earned as a black belt.”
His motivation to participate in the competition stemmed from a desire to challenge himself against the best martial artists in the post-covid19 era.
“Given the unique circumstances posed by the pandemic, this major event provided an opportunity to test my skills and embrace the challenge. My primary goal was to push my own limits, with winning not being the sole objective. These accomplishments fuel my drive to pursue even more competitive endeavours,” he said.
The competition proved to be a formidable test, pitting Surujdeo against national-level competitors from both TT and the United States. He praised the calibre of the competitors and the judges who meticulously assessed their performances.
Beyond the dojo, Surujdeo pursues a range of interests and is focussed on academic excellence. He earned grade one in mathematics, add maths, physical education, biology and chemistry, and grade two in English, literature and physics in the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations.
His CAPE results include grade one in pure maths and physical education, with grade two in biology and Caribbean studies.
[caption id="attachment_1034294" align="alignnone" width="720"] Martial artist Rohan Surujdeo enjoys performing bhajans, local classical songs, and traditional folk songs in temples and at Hindu religious events. -[/caption]
He has a passion for reading religious scriptu
