The local karate community gathered at The Royal Hamilton Dinghy Club at the weekend to honour the exceptional accomplishments of Bermuda's karate athletes during the 2022-23 Coral League season at the 2nd Annual Shotocup Awards.

The evening commenced with an impassioned speech by Co-director Arnold Alan, who expressed profound gratitude to the athletes and their support systems for their unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions, which propelled them to the heights of success.

The highlight of the night was the presentation of the Director's Awards, which honoured 20 individuals who met the stringent criteria of competing in three or more Shotocup events or achieving a score of 100 or more in the Shotocup rankings.

Alessia Vianello, Amarriah Vaughans, Chan Simons, Charles Issa Ndiaye, Dash Bailey, Dominique Brown, Geraldine Sidders, Giovanni Víanello, Khwai Mendoza, Marleigh Williams, Marsille Williams, Michael Burgess, Miguel Bolarinho, Noah Lowe, Talaya Sousa, Talia Iris, Taylor Ming, T'orie Russell, Toni Cabral, and Vincent Lightbourne were the recipients of these honours.

In addition to honouring the athletes, special service awards were bestowed upon the dedicated volunteers whose tireless efforts ensured the success of the Coral League season. Sheba Bailey, Harriet Hayward, Ivone Frias, Timothy Sousa, Sloane Johnson, Tracey Symonds, and Quannae Lowe were acknowledged and celebrated for their invaluable contributions.

The evening culminated with the presentation of top honours, including the Coach of the Year award, which was bestowed upon the remarkable Gladwin ‘Roots’ Phillips. His exceptional guidance and unwavering dedication has had a transformative impact on athletes.

The Athlete of the Year awards were presented to Tony Cabral (Adult Male), Talia Iris (Adult Female), Michael Burgess (Youth Male), and Geraldine Sidders (Youth Female). Burgess's exceptional performance also earned him the distinction of achieving the highest ranking on the point chart.

The event was also attended by Kim Swan, junior minister for sport, MP Renee Ming, and Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security. Weeks also presented the Community Award to Charles Butterfield in acknowledgement of his exceptional efforts to promote unity within the karate community through kindness and collaboration.

For further information about the Shotocup Awards and the Coral League season, please visit www.shotocup.com.