Team Purple Dragon Cayman youths who competed in the World Karate Championships in Trinidad last month met recently with the Minister for Community Affairs, Youth and Sports, Hon Osbourne Bodden, to present their 36 medal haul and receive significant financial sponsorship from the Ministry.
Minister Bodden said he was delighted to meet the team and proud to have such great youth ambassadors for Cayman competing on a world stage.
“Our young sports men and women who did us so proud at the World Karate Championships have displayed tremendous discipline and dedication in order to gain so many wins for Cayman,” he said. “Reaching a high level in karate is not done so without an extraordinary degree of perseverance, focus and hard work, so for this, on behalf of the people of Cayman, I extend my congratulations to the team.”
The Minister for Community Affairs, Youth and Sports said his Ministry is committed to investing in youth sport initiatives, such as the Purple Dragon team, as the long-term benefits for the community are obvious.
“The hard work and dedication these young people bring to their sport is also reflected in their every lives making them excellent role models for other youths and, in the long term, productive members of society,” Minister Bodden said.
“Studies have shown that young people who participate in sports are more disciplined, better behaved, make positive influencing friendships and grow up to be more involved in the community,” he said. “It is therefore important that the Cayman Islands government and the wider community do what they can – either through financial sponsorship, by volunteering time or equipment, or attending games for moral support – to encourage our Cayman youth to make sport and wellness an important part of their lives.”
Sensei Floyd from Purple Dragon said the organisation was extremely grateful for the financial support it received from the Ministry which went to cover expenses for its younger competitors such as travel and accommodation costs, uniforms and other required equipment.
The Karate World Championships 2015 welcomed competitors from the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as from the Cayman Islands. The competition was held over two days and comprised of over six hundred competitors from across the world, 28 of whom were from the Cayman Islands. The Purple Dragon Team Cayman returned home with 23 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze medals.
Purple Dragon Cayman received support from Cayman National, Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth and Sport, Williams2, DART, Tower, RBC, Walkers, DMS and Sprint.
For more information visit www.purpledragon.ky or contact purple@candw.ky
Photo caption: Members of the Purple Dragon Cayman Team at the World Championships in Trinidad
August 25, 2015 – Cayman Reporter
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