Proud Purple Dragon Black Belts

By Staff Writer

Six young warriors from Purple Dragon Cayman Islands have completed their Black Belt Changing Ceremony here in Cayman after they completed their 3 days of intensive blackbelt testing (grading) in Trinidad and Tobago.

Of the six who’ve moved up the ranks, earning their second-degree black belts, two are young ladies.

The latest Purple Dragon young Black belt warriors are Jayden Hulse-Bailey 1st degree, Lennox Seymour 1st degree, Sion Lewis 1st degree, Josiah Baptiste 1st degree with distinctions (3 purple stars), Lenari Seymour 2nd degree, and Maia Pitta 2nd degree.

Their instructors Geddes Hislop and Floyd Baptiste were also promoted to the ranks of 6th Degree and 7th Degree black belts respectively with the title of Shihan.

In addition to the 6 young Black Belt Warriors, Purple Dragon Cayman Islands is also very proud to celebrate all of our recent accomplishments including a recent under-ranking with a 98% success rate.

Purple Dragon Cayman Islands has an enrolment of 85 individuals at varying stages of their karate journey.

“Don Jitsu Ruy karate is not just a style for us but a lifestyle in which we strive to achieve and live by its doctrines every day,” it says in a statement congratulating its students.

HARD WORK BRINGS SUCCESS

This is the second round of recent successes for Purple Dragon Cayman.

Just last month, they completed the Purple under-rank grading results with Cayman candidates aged between 7 years old and 52 years old making the grade.

That event took place at the Purple Dragon dojo (karate school) on Compass Drive, upstairs the Reliable Industries Building, and was also streamed live.

“We are extremely proud of all of the candidates who performed well in this their first in-person grading examination since 2019 and throughout the pandemic,” the school said.

“Three students performed well enough to have achieved a rank beyond the one they were recommended for. These students are Syrjay Alvin, and Tamika McKenzie going from white to orange belt skipping yellow, and Neville Boon going from green to purple belt skipping blue.”

The day before the under-rank grading, the Soke conducted a Don Jitsu seminar and belt-changing ceremony for the Purple Dragon Cayman Islands Candidates who were successful in earning their Black Belts and higher degree Black Belts.

Seven candidates represented the Cayman Islands at the 147 Purple Dragon Black Belt testing at Purple Dragon Headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago. Approximately 120 candidates from eight countries were tested at the event.

The successful Cayman warriors were Lennox Seymour 1st degree, Jayden Hulse-Bailey 1st degree, Josiah Baptiste 1st degree w/distinction, Sion Lewis 1st degree, Lenari Seymour 2nd degree, Maia Pitta 2nd degree and Geddes Hislop 6th degree. Shihan Floyd Baptiste was also awarded his 7th-degree black belt.

“We were fortunate to have the event officiated by the Soke (founder of the Don Jitsu System) Grandmaster Jacob from Purple Dragon world headquarters, ninth-degree Black Belt, Professor Anthony Thompson from Trinidad and Tobago, eighth-degree Black Belt, and Sensei Jahmosa Francis fourth degree Black Belt from the Antigua branch.”

Purple Dragon Cayman Islands is a member of Purple Dragon International, which was started over 50 years ago in Trinidad and Tobago by Grandmaster Don Jacob.

The Cayman chapter was established in 1990 and has promoted a healthy, balanced and disciplined lifestyle to the youth of the Cayman Islands for the last 33 years.

The school is located at 313 Compass Drive, upstairs the Reliable Industries Building. For more information and upcoming events you can contact Purple Dragon Karate at 946-1241 or email purpledragoncayman@gmail.com  or on social  media@purpledragoncayman