Wayne Gayadeen, Trinidad and Tobago’s lone competitor at the World Union of Karate-Do Organisations (WUKO) Tournament, performed creditably by taking two bronze medals at the event.

Although the Trinidad and Tobago Karate Federation (TTKF) did not  have the finances to field a complete team, Gayadeen placed third in Shobu Ippon Kermit  (one-point match) and third in Shobu Sanbon (three-point match)  Kumite.

He tied with Japan in the Shobu Ippon division and placed seventh in the Shotokan kata division.

And on graduating from the WUKO referees course in his maiden outing, Gayadeen was awarded his kata judge licence and kumite judge licence, becoming the second T&T karateka to achieve the feat (Darryl Williams did it in 1991).

At the WUKO congress, Gayadeen was also voted a substitute auditor by the WUKO member countries.

Gayadeen will be attending the  WUKO World Cup in Nice, France in March 2010 along with other members of the T&T team.

His future plans include training the TTKF junior team for the World Junior Championships to take place in Argentina in July 2010.

He is presently pursuing his coaching  certification as this is a prerequisite to be on the TTKF coaching staff. He will be working with TTKF national  coach Stephen Parris.

Gayadeen began his karate training at the age of 12 under Ishmeal Ibrahim and Tony Parris of TASK in Trinidad and Tobago.  For the past 20 years he has been a student of Sensei Tsutomu Oshima (Shotokan Karate of America--SKA), while his referee training was under the guidance of Williams.

He currently teaches at his dojo--Wayne Shotokan Karate in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and is ranked as a fourth dan by TTKF and WUKO.