20 Jun 2023

Dojo Ken Karate Academy in Lobatse commemorated the Day of the African Child by hosting a youth tournament on Saturday called Bandleng Ngwana Wa Mo Africa Karate Championship.

Karate pupils from four to 18-years-old from Dojo Ken Academy, Kom Karate Club in Gaborone, Nayoth Karate Academy in Ramotswa, Baby Steps Academy and Walker Karate Academy competed in individual kata and kumite during the tournament.

Dojo Ken Academy instructor, Sensei Keone Kgorotlhe said the tournament was a success and they aimed to turn it into an annual event.

He said they had a target of attracting at least 70 participants, but they surpassed the number.

Sensei Kgorotlhe, who is a former Zone VI gold medallist and former senior and junior national teams coach, said they staged the tournament to sensitise children and the community about social ills such as gender-based violence as well as alcohol and substance abuse.

He said in partnership with the town leadership, they had adopted some vulnerable children in Lobatse and would use some of the proceeds from the tournament to buy clothes and food for those children.

He said pupils were categorised according to age groups and belts.

He said they started with individual katakana and kumite competitions, but would add team events next year.

He thanked Lobatse Town Council, the office of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Hawkers Cash and Carry, Lobatse MP’s Office and Water Utilities Corporation for supporting the event.

Dojo Ken Academy dominated the competition with 19 gold medals followed by Kom, Nayoth and Walker academies with four gold medals each.

Baby Steps Academy finished with two gold medals.

Sensei Kgorotlhe said Dojo Ken Karate Academy was established with the aim of promoting karate in Lobatse.

“We are affiliated to JKA Botswana Karate Do and Botswana Karate Association.

Our academy has over 40 pupils and trains at Peleng Community Hall.

We have programmes for children, and every Monday we hold character-building classes before training.

Through the classes pupils are taught good conduct, goal setting, planning and having visions.

We don’t only teach karate skills, but life skills as well,” he said.

Sensei Kgorotlhe pointed that the academy had already made an impact in the national karate landscape. He said they had pupils who had already won gold and bronze medals, and that some of their members were in the national team selection such as Katlego Makaka.

We also have Yaone Kgorotlhe, who won bronze in kata and gold in kumite and Lame Macheng who won bronze in his first tournament and two golds in kata and kumite in the second tournament,” he said.

He said the biggest challenge they faced was financial since it was expensive to stage karate tournaments. Ends