THE Association of Professional Martial Artists’ (AMPA) tournament, the Saint Lucia Piton Open held last Sunday at the Beausejour Indoor Facility was a “huge success”, according to APMA Master Benny Chitolie.
![Image: Some members of team St. Lucia showing off their silver ware at the championship [PHOTO Anthony De Beauville]](https://www.thevoiceslu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Some-members-of-team-St-Lucia-showing-off-their-silver-ware-at-the-championship.jpg)
Chitolie said he was pleased with the level of competition amongst the various teams which augurs well for the art form not only in Saint Lucia but worldwide.
Saint Lucia dominated the individual Black Belt, Intermediate and Novice divisions placing first, with USA second and Trinidad and Tobago third.
Saint Lucia was declared champions in the team Kata events, followed by USA in second place. Saint Lucia also won the overall Weapons divisions, while USA were second.
Zalika Joseph of St Lucia was the most outstanding athlete. She defended every title winning convincingly four first places in Kata, Weapons, Kumite and Team Kata. She remains the highest rated female martial artist in Saint Lucia and one of the highest rated in the Caribbean region.
The Junior Black Belt was won by AJ Torres of USA defending his kumite title for the third time and winning convincingly, while the Senior Black Belt title went to Cyprian Servauis of Team Saint Lucia, he defended his kumite title for the fourth consecutive year.
