28 Jun 2018

The Gaborone Open International annual karate championship organisers have promised a more bigger and better tournament.

Top-drawer karate bouts are expected to take centre stage at the Al Nur English Medium School hall tomorrow (June 30).

In an interview, one of the organisers, Sensei Ofentse Bakwadi said at least four international karatekas had shown interest in jetting into Botswana to add aroma to the already sumptuous line up but had other pressing commitments.

The tournament, which is in its 8^th edition, has been one of the leading karate events on the local scene and it looks set to be bigger and more exciting as it will showcase some of the finest karatekas from the region, an indication that the sport has been elevated to a higher level.

Fresh from an impressive performance at the closely contested Region 5 karate championships hosted in Gaborone last month, local karatekas have heightened their preparations for this year’s karate extravaganza in their bid to make positive impression ahead of the Union of Africa Karate Federations (UFAK) junior and senior championships penciled for Rwanda in August.

High tempo action is therefore expected to take centre stage as karatekas will be keen to impress in their bid to advance to other competitive continental tournaments.

The tournament will play host to, amongst others, Namibian youngsters, Daniel Kabuzo and Immaculate Simasiku, led by their captain, Jurgen Van Wyk and Stefan Van De Merwe.

South Africa is expected to throw in their karate champion siblings in Reece and Justin Baynes.

Other interesting karatekas to look forward to include veteran Zimbabwean kumite champion, Winston Nyanhete as well as Zambian Abdalla Mulenga.

The visiting karatekas will find tough opposition from the local lads who are doing their best to impress in the likes of reigning Africa senior kata champion and hard to crack Bakwadi.

The 21-year-old Quinton Mosupiemang also looks set to continue his dominance in the senior under 75kg kumite.

Despite his age, 14-year-old Kagiso Mophuting is a tried and tested karateka who has taken part in tough tournament such as the US Open in America.

He is also one gold medal prospect in the individual kata category.

 Other interesting karatekas to watch tomorrow are Lentle Tanyala, Kao Nsala and ladies kumite sensation Entle Maungwa, among others. ENDS