For the last twelve years Wayne Nguyen has led his TKO organization to a major spot in the Texas sport karate scene. The 2009 State championships were held January 23, 2010 at the Stafford Middle School in Stafford, Texas just southwest of Houston, Texas. The first years of the TKO helped launched the careers of many current adult champions. The TKO has also helped many of the current junior Texas state, national and world champions to fame in Sport karate. The list is long with champions like Sage and Colby Northcutt, Marissa and Marco Villanueva and many other well known Texas Champions traveling the long road to the top.
Competitors from all over Texas came to win one of the specially struck TKO State Championship belts. All styles were represented as over 120 divisions were offered representing all age groups, ranks and divisions. Some of the more artistic divisions were weapons and forms where the best champions in Texas were showing off there talents in an attempt to be crowned state champion. Dewy Sutton, one of TKO’s top supporters ran the event with the help of the best Texas prompters and officials like Nelda Edwards, Daryl Stewart, Norman Roberts, Jessie Benivedos and many other TKO organization staff.
The tournament started off with the usual weapons and forms divisions that included both adults and juniors. This represented beginners to black belt. Some of the adult and junior winners included Marissa Villanueva, Marco Villanueva, Matthew Tyler, Alfredo Bustamonte, Joseph Pruiett and William Sheldon. Many more champions were crowned in the weapons and forms champions by days end.
Sparring divisions were equally impressive with amazing talent vying for the top spots at this years championships. The Amazing Garret Lee was unstoppable as he headed up one of the largest divisions in adult sparring . Other black belt champions included Charles Shedd, Tony Mosley, Karen Schroeder, Ashley Wood as well as a number of highly charged junior point sparring contestants.
All divisions concluded on time with efficiently ran divisions and excellent judging. The State Grand Champions were ran last with a monster junior black belt forms and weapons group vying for the beautiful Walt Mason Eagle grand Championship award. Junior divisional champions were phenomenal. They were all entertaining and in the end it was David Tate ending up with the grand championship. David ran his flashy and dynamic staff form. Joseph Pruiet took home the black belt adult forms grand championship with his powerful nun chuck weapons form.
The sparring grand championships were last up with the women going at it. When the smoke cleared Ashley Wood was the women’s grand champion. Last up was the adult men’s black belt point sparring. After a series of great fights Garret Lee emerged as the 2010 TKO men’s point sparring grand champion. This completed the 2009 TKO State Championships. Next years TKO State Championships will be held in Fort Worth, Texas on January 22, 2011.
