22 Sep 2024

Botswana Hayashi-Ha Karate Union team has put up an excellent performance at the closely contested Cape Town Open Championships over the weekend.

A team of over 30 karatekas, mostly young athletes of the under 10 category, travelled to the coastal city of Cape Town to take part in one of the most competitive karate events on the South African Karate Association calendar. The competition attracted participants from the South African provinces.

The Botswana youngsters proved once again to be amongst the finest karatekas in the region when they amassed medals from the tournament organised by the Mushin Kai International Karate Federation of the Western Cape.

Botswana Hayashi-Ha had entries competing in the kumite and kata in various categories including youth novice class and cadet categories.

The youngest entrants being five-year old kata sensation, Kai Mokibe and girl’s karateka Camilla Rengels who scooped gold in the individual kata division respectively.

Danny Ngakane took gold in the boys seven to nine-year-old kata while Tema Gaborone was unstoppable in the boys 11-year-old kata division.

In the boys under 10 kata and kumite class, nine-year-old Olamide Ajibola scooped silver and bronze respectively.

Atang Motswakhumo won gold for his efforts in the boys under 17 class and won bronze for excellent display in kumite.

Setso Sebina continued with his fine form and won gold in the boys under 21 kata.

Botswana’s under 75kg national kumite champion, Quinton Mosupiemang beat South African high ranking karateka, Jody Williams in the elite kumite class.

Williams had just returned from the world Goju-Ryu champions in Austria where he scooped silver and bronze in kumite and kata.

Another ladies’ sensation, 24-year-old Lethabo Sekano beat her opponents and defended her title in the ladies open individual kumite class.

She settled for second spot after being outclassed by South Africa in the finals.

Speaking on the sidelines of the tournament, head instructor of the Hayashi-Ha karate stable, Shihan Mpho Bakwadi expressed his pride in the athletes’ exceptional performances.

Bakwadi, an astute youth development instructor, said it was important to instil karate technique and discipline at a very young age so as to develop an athlete into a complete karateka.

“We are proud of building these future stars who will be representing us in national team duties very soon.

We are proud of their remarkable performances as they had shown true dedication and skill taking home accolades that reflect their hard work and determination,” Bakwadi added.

He thanked parents for their contribution and commitment to make it a memorable event as some accompanied their children to the tournament.

Shihan Bakwadi said taking part in such tournaments, which drew top performing athletes from the South African karate league was important as it exposed them to the top practitioners of the sport in the region

He said his students although relatively rookies at the level of the tournament had gained plenty of experience and returned with good results.

“By the time they reach for national team selections they had international exposure at club level which is quite a good development in terms of exposure to top athletes such as South Africa who are powerhouses in the region. It is important that they interact,” he added.

Shihan Bakwadi, who is also Botswana Karate Association  president, said it was a good opportunity for the athletes to had participated in Cape Town as some were shaping up for world events such as the Spain World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in Durban before the end of the karate calendar this year. ENDS