Competition coming up...

[cathal]

Well the Competition went very well, I earned a Silver Medal in Adult Male Kumite (White-Orange). I'm very pleased with my performance, and I'm pumped for future competitions.

 

My first round was with a man much older than myself and I think I succesfully psyched him out with my kime and kiai. He began the match very confident but as we proceeded he backed away and couldn't perform his counters.

 

I feel like I learned a lot, and I'm looking forward to doing more.

 

On a side note, though, the competitions began around 11AM and we began with the Black belts, so that later on they'd be free to judge. During the entire morning a young boy, around 9 or 10 years old, was trying to get a good viewpoint by jumping onto the top of a pile of mats. Time after time he'd throw himself up against the pile in a failed attempt to get to the top. For two full hours he tried, yet wouldn't stop.

 

He saw his peers getting up and down freely, yet he kept on going. I found myself paying more attention to this young man than to the competitions themselves. I couldn't believe how focused he was. Well, around 1PM he finally got up there...and right before he fell onto his back and rested he looked out onto the competition floor with the biggest smile he'd ever seen. Unfortunately he had only enough time left to watch the last kumite match for the black belts. However I'm not sure he cared that much. He was so happy to be on the pile of mats!

 

If that isn't an example of the spirit of MA, I don't know what is.

[Pyran]

Congratulations.

[aefibird]

Congratulations on your Silver medal, Cathal!

[cathal]

Thanks Pyran, aefibird!