Local karateka excel at nationals

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Karateka from the International Japan Karate Association (IJKA) dojos in Knysna and Plettenberg Bay recently excelled at the inaugural World Union of Karate Federation (WUKF) South African National Championship.

The Knysna/Plett karateka managed to accumulate a total of 22 medals - six gold, eight silver, and eight bronze.

"Congratulations to everyone, no matter whether you won, lost or came fifth or anything else - your commitment, arrival and participation toward improving and testing (competing) yourself against others is invaluable," said the dojos' sensei, John Peach.

The championship took place in Gqeberha at the Boardwalk Hotel's luxurious convention centre on 25 and 26 March.

To mark this auspicious occasion, Prof Liviu Crisan (Romania), President of WUKF; sensei Roberto Perri (Belgium), general secretary of WUKF; and president of WUKF's Commission for Africa and Asia, sensei Essam Shreif (Egypt), all made the long trip to South Africa.

The championship was preceded by a referee seminar conducted by Shreif, which was attended by more than 50 SA referees.

Aiden Whitehead, Harvey Whitehead, Luke Momsen, Cameron Kourie and Zach de Wet with their medals.

In the lead-up to the championship, sensei Alta Venter, currently SA's only WUKF chief referee, provided online training over a six-week period to assist in preparing the referees and judges for the practical and theoretical examinations held during the championship weekend.

The championship was held across eight tatami floors and attracted close to 500 competitors from 12 SA WUKF-affiliated federations as well as a competitor from Scotland's Kanzen Karate Federation.

The championship was attended by numerous WUKF federation heads and dignitaries, including SKAI Namibia's sensei Willem Burger.

Karate styles represented at the championship included goju-ryu, shito-ryu, shorin-ryu and shotokan. In terms of total member federations in WUKF, South Africa is second only to England.

The championship offered individual categories for novice, intermediate and elite competitors which encompassed kata, shobu ippon, shobu nihon (for children up to the age of twelve), shobu sanbon kumite and inclusive categories.

In addition, kobudo short and long weapon categories were also on the programme.

Team events included kata and WUKF's signature event, shobu sanbon rotational team kumite, which must surely rate as the single most exciting and exhilarating competition format in world karate.

The championship was marked by a tangible spirit of teamwork, sportsmanship and friendship, which could be viewed as a return to the traditional core values that karate-do has always sought to instil in its participants and officials.

Judging from feedback of officials and competitors, the championship has been a tremendous success and it has further solidified and united WUKF karate in South Africa.