Club does well in karate championship
KwaThema - John Cindi, shihan of the KwaThema Shotokan Dojo club, won the grand champion title at the United World Karate Federation Championships in Cape Town last week.
“My intention was not to compete but to be a referee.
When I got there I saw an opportunity and I took it.”
Cindi says although three of his students did very well at the provincials, and qualified for the event, only one of them made it to Cape Town.
• Read: Karate students get grading certificates
“Our major challenge is still funding, because the parents could not afford to pay from their own pockets,” he explains.
Mhlonishwa Modensela, (8) fought five matches in order to win second place in the u-8 division.
“The standard of the competition was very high. There were about 200 contestants.”
Cindi says he is extremely proud of the boy, who had to represent the whole club since the others could not go.
He says his hope is parents will prioritise their children’s participation and the whole community will rally around them.
• Also read: Karate used to combat social ills
“I want to educate people who still think that karate is just about fighting and hurting people,” he adds.
Cindi believes changing this perception in the community will make more people desire to help him.
“Most of these children are really talented.
“I would hate to see that go down the drain.”
Cindi is contactable on 073 212 9444.
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