Wiregrass Open Martial Arts Championships come to Troy
Published on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 8:32am
After several years of hiatus, the Wiregrass Open Martial Arts Championships (WOMAC) is back and will be held for the first time on March 30th in Troy.
Organized by Lenise Darby's local karate dojo, MojuKai Karate, the tournament is open to participants from ages 7 and under to over 45. There will be spares competitions, weapon demonstrations, kata competitions, and more. Darby said that unlike many tournaments around it, the WOMAC is truly open to all.
“Many martial arts schools only hold private tournaments, tournaments that are supported by their own style and system, because they don't want to compete with other styles,” Darby said. “We only do open when everyone is invited. This is an open tournament where all styles of martial arts can participate, from karate to taekwondo to kung fu to Ming Do. We don't care about your style, You are most welcome.”
WOMAC will be held for the first time in several years since it was canceled in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus infection. Mr. Darby then briefly served as director of the Alabama state tournament. The tournament, previously held on the Enterprise, will be held on Troy for the first time. But he said he believes this tournament will be the biggest yet.
“This event looks like it's going to be a very large event,” Darby said. “People from as far away as Tallahassee (Fla.) and Mobile have already told us they’re coming.”
The competition will be held on March 30th at the Pike Liberal Arts School Gymnasium.
“I think this is going to be very exciting for anyone who has ever been interested in martial arts,” Darby emphasized. “Even if you don't understand martial arts, it's very exciting to watch.”
Darby says his school is here to stay in Troy and anyone who may have had a bad experience with a martial arts school in the area should check out WOMAC to see what MojuKai has to offer He said he would like to do so.
“I know Troy tends to open schools here and then be gone a year or two later, but we’re here to stay,” he said. “If you've ever had a bad taste in your mouth from something that happened at school, please come out and see what it's really like for us.”
Registration for WOMAC is currently being accepted and Darby said registration will be available as early as March 30th. The entry fee for all three categories is $60 for him and $5 for fans.Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Competition begins at 10:00 a.m.
Grand Champions will be awarded in the following divisions: Men's Black Belt Sparring, Women's Black Belt Sparring, Adult Black Belt Form/Weapon, Adult Black Belt Form/Weapon, Youth Black Belt Form/Weapon, Youth Black Belt Form/Weapon. weapons. There will also be beginner, intermediate, advanced, and black belt divisions for each age group. Each division will have an under-7 age group, an 8-10 age group, an 11-13 age group, a 14-15 age group, a 16-17 age group, and an 18-34 age group. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes include groups for those over 35 years old, and black belts include a group for ages 35-44 and a group for ages 45 and older.
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