third.
of the top 3 fighters, the first 2 were from the Gurkha Contingent Dojo.
I fell neatly below them, the first Singapore-man inside the category.
there was postively no fight with the 104 kg Gurkha when i was matched with him. His low kicks to my thigh weren't as devastating as Sempai Candy assured me. Only thing was his sheer size that kept pressing on. I went out of the mat three times on the last count, if i wasn't wrong.
And naturally, my kicks, not helped by the bulky shin guards were non-penetrating.
because the bugger was large and pushy, he won by decision...
ashamed really. was contemplating giving him a Waza-ari because i simply couldn't overpower him. come to think of it, that was totally shameful. as a fighter and a karateka. wrong...

the 3rd-4th placing match was between me and taufiq. A bit shocked really. I knew him and we've actually only sparred once seriously, where Sensei said that he had darkness, a depth to him when he sparred and he knew how to draw on that anger. For me, Sensei said i had no aggression at all.
realisation: raw aggression leaves almost no or little room for rational and logical thinking required for strategy and the detachment which is the mentality needed in a/any fight.
I went rather fierce on Taufiq, because it would be preposterous for a college yr 1 to lose to a secondary 3. my punches and kicks were heavier than those i gave in training and i know he felt them. He didn't have any chance to show his aggression partly because i think he thought he was better than me. he managed to earn an ippon over me in one training.
When i went into him, i fouled with an attempt to hit his face. with the foul and time running out, under the force of instinct, did a feint flicka and den a roundhouse to his head. The expression on his face when the blow made a loud THUACK on his side was incredible. His face was so disbelieving that i felt so guilty...

I won by Waza-ari and subsequently the 3rd place. because of my foul, i thought i lost, until i saw all four officials raise my red flag.
Not at all proud. but neither too sad. But mildly angry at myself for losing to the 104 kg Gurkha...