02 Mar 2015

The Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) is set to announce a national junior karate team after hosting a highly competitive selection championship at their Dojo at the weekend (February 28/March 1)

Speaking on the sidelines of the weekend’s tournament, a seemingly ecstatic BOKA interim committee programmes coordinator, Shihan Mpho Bakwadi said the championships went well and that they were on the verge of announcing their final team list. 

Bakwadi said the team was readying for the May Zone VI championships slated for the South African coastal city of Durban.  Karatekas as young as 10 years will make part of the team travelling to Durban although initially young karatekas were considered too young for tournaments such as Zone VI but Bakwadi.

The coordinator said they had resolved to bring back the age category as exposure to international tournaments at a tender age was vital. 

Meanwhile, the day-long tournament produced some of the shocking upsets in selection, as some reputable karatekas lost to promising and upcoming young boys especially in kumite. 

In some of the mouthwatering kata and kumite bouts lined up for the day, Africa Youth Games medalist Wathuto Make was unstoppable in the individual kata for ladies 16 to 17 years, while her team mate at the youth games Gomolemo Mabolokanye settled for the second spot. 

However, Mabolokanye dusted herself up and was crowned champion in kumite, while Centy Kgosikoma was crowned silver for her efforts. 

Phillipe Revaka, the 15-year-old reigning African youth games team kata champion, was in a perfect mood as he was crowned champion in individual kata emerging victorious ahead of another promising karate talent Mohammed Hussein.

Leonard Modise, who formed a formidable partnership with Revaka and Tshepho Baumake at the youth games, got the shock of his life when SSG karate team promising karateka Thabo Letshwiti inched past him in the semifinals.

Letshwiti reproduced his fine form against another gold medal prospect Baumake when he beat him in the finals.  Teto Moeng was crowned champion for the boys 16/17 years’ individual kumite.  Another enterprising karateka Zara Khan was crowned champion in girls’ kumite and narrowly lost in the final kata match. 

Despite a lengthy spell of inactivity, the Botswana team is expected to take part in the Zone VI tournament which has been seen as a build up to the closely contested All Africa Games which are penciled for September in Congo Brazzaville. 

The senior team is expected to face off in the second leg of the three legged tournament billed for Francistown this coming weekend while the finals will take place in the last weekend of this month (March) in Gaborone. ENDS