Chris Gallio, the promoter of this first Lone Star Nationals, is a well known sport karate champion. I first met him as an up and coming junior competitor in the mid 1990's. He worked hard to gain notoriety over the years and fell under the spotlight with his first world title win during the 1999 Super Grands World Games. This first junior contemporary weapons win turned into a string of victories. He and his mom Cindy are also responsible for Team GOP, practically a household word in the sport karate world.
Houston is one of the hot spots for sport karate in Texas and has hosted many international martial arts events. This June ‘s national championship was held at the Houston Hobby Airport Marriott Hotel where a beautiful atrium accented the atmosphere in this first class venue. The ballroom added an elegant ambiance with a spacious floor area allowing for plenty of rings to be in operation speeding up the waiting time.
Competitors from all over the country were in attendance and came from as far away as New York, Georgia, South Carolina, Mexico and Louisiana. Prestigious world class champions both competed and helped officiate. Some of the prominent officials helping to make this tournament a success were Laco Villanueva; promoter of The Battle of the Champions, Corky Sikes; promoter of The Survivor National tournament, Chris and George Mishew, Daryl Stewart, Professor Guerra, Tony Lopez Sr and Jr, Luis Jimenez, Cindy and John Gallio, Jose Santamaria and the entire GOP team.
Friday night presented many with the opportunity to advance to the finals and win one the many prestigious grand championship awards and cash. David Armstrong from New York, Joseph Pruitt, Marco and Clarissa Villanueva, Sage and Colby Northcutt, Chris Glendon, Juan Gonzalez, Allan Bedruz, Jacob Holguin, Erick and Angela Cantu and Sergio Calva were just some of the juniors making their presence known.
High flying weapons and contemporary forms were the highlight of Friday night’s competition. Well known champions David Johnson, Bear Loebe, Tony Lopez, Johnnie Murphy, Billy Swinney, Dean Pyles and Jonathan Garcia from Mexico headed up the adult competition. Continuous junior and adult competition concluded Friday nights activities.
Saturday was crowded with under belt and blackbelt traditional forms and point sparring running at a fevered pitch. Junior and adult point sparring was intense as the best fought it out for a chance at money and grand championship awards.
The competition finalized with Regina Thompson winning the women's point sparring grands after her victory over Margaret Beasley and Cassey Hendon. Derrick Wilson took home the men's senior point sparring grand championship.
During the adult men's point sparring grands, Tony Lopez was pitted against Bryan Young in an intense battle. Each competitor threw their best techniques. Both had to fight their way through tough divisions that included Norman Roberts, Jason Holmes, Don Pettway, Jonathan Garcia and Antonio Anderson. In the end, Lopez won with a close victory as the fight was stopped when blood was drawn on Tony.
Johnnie Murphy won the Adult contemporary forms grand championship and David Johnson won the adult traditional forms grand championship. In the junior grand championships, Jacob Holguin won contemporary forms with Juan Carlos Gonzalez taking the traditional forms grand championship.0
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