Karatekas from the Horizon Karate Centre made their sensei extremely proud at the recent JKA All Africa Championships that took place at the Ellis Park Arena.
The championships took place over five days, and included training and examinations under two senior Japanese masters from the Japanese Karate Association (JKA) head office in Tokyo. A continental Dan (black belt) grading also took place.
Fourteen karatekas represented South Africa as part of the SA JKA team and competed against karatekas from Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
They managed to win a total of 11 medals, which included four gold, three silver and four bronze. The karatekas participated in both individual and team kata as well as kumite.
The following karatekas won medals in their respective divisions:
• Galaletsang Rathebe won a gold medal for kata
• Willie du Toit won a gold medal for kumite
• Crystal Poulter won a gold medal for the women’s team kata as well as a silver medal for individual kata
• Nadine Parker won a gold medal for the women’s team kata
• Itanje Marnewick won a silver medal in both kata and kumite
• Alyssa van der Merwe won a bronze medal for kata
• Matuschka de Jager won a bronze medal for kumite
• Tiya Naidoo won a bronze medal for kumite
• Tyreece Billings won a bronze medal for kumite
“I am exceptionally proud of all of my students; their hard work has definitely paid off. Karate is a sport for everyone, and, in the light of the recent surge in child abductions and human trafficking incidents, I believe there has never been a greater need for people to learn self defence. Karate is the ideal way to acquire and maintain skills which could be life saving,” Sensei Wendy said.
For more information, visit their website at https://www.horizonkaratecentre.co.za.
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