Bedfordview karatekas win gold and silver in England
"A lot of experience was gained competing in the international arena and in many cases, it proved that South Africa’s athletes are up there with the best in the Commonwealth."
Eight karatekas from Goju Kai Karate Academy in Bedfordview were selected to represent South Africa at the 10th Commonwealth Karate Championships in Birmingham, England.
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The tournament was divided into two separate competitions, namely the Commonwealth Championships for ages 14 and older where only the top two ranked athletes from each participating Commonwealth country could compete, and the Commonwealth Club Championships where the top four nationally ranked athletes from South Africa could compete.
Shihan Russell Sim said six members of the dojo, Jesse Sim, Bongi Ngwenya, Bradley Ho-Tong, Connor Hundermark, Chloe Keartland and Gabriella Toweel, were selected to compete in the Commonwealth Championships.
As a result, Sim, Ngwenya, Ho-Tong, Hundermark, Keartland and Toweel were awarded their national colours by Karate South Africa.
Based on their number three and four ranking in Karate South Africa, Arnoldus van der Merwe and Cristiano Coelho were awarded national colours for competing in the Commonwealth Club Championships.
Sixteen Commonwealth countries entered the Commonwealth Championship on the first two days of the event.
The final placings were England first, Scotland second, Australia third and South Africa fourth.
“The unison kata team of Jesse Sim, Bongi Ngwenya and Bradley Ho-Tong got through to the final of their kata division, where they were narrowly beaten by England,” said Sim.
The SA unison kata team brought back silver medals
Jesse Sim also competed in the senior male kata division, where he placed seventh out of 20 competitors.
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Van der Merwe competed in the boys’ 14 – 15 kata division and ended seventh out of nine competitors.
The first round was followed by the Commonwealth Club Championships where the divisions were much bigger and very competitive.
The unison kata team of Jesse Sim, Bongi Ngwenya and Bradley Ho-Tong got through to the final of the male kata division beating the Indian team and winning gold.
Jesse Sim also competed in the senior male kata division, which consisted of 59 athletes and made it through to the final, where he lost by one flag in a 3-2 decision to win silver for SA.
Connor Hundermark competed against 42 boys in the male 12–13 year kata division and won bronze for SA.
Gabriella Toweel competed against 36 athletes in the female 12-13 kata division, making it through four rounds and placing fifth overall.
Arnoldus van der Merwe took part in the male 14-15 kata division and was placed 33rd out of 36 competitors, while Chloe Keartland competed in the female 10-11 kata and kumite divisions, placing ninth out of 17 girls in the kata and ninth out of 12 girls in the kumite division.
Cristiano Coelho competed in the male 10 – 11 kata and kumite divisions, placing 17th out of 23 competitors in the kata division and ninth out of 17 competitors in the kumite division.
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South Africa placed third overall, after England and Scotland.
Shihan Russell Sim said the tournament was excellently hosted by the English Karate Federation and it was enjoyed immensely by all the karateka who attended.
“A lot of experience was gained competing in the international arena and in many cases, it proved that South Africa’s athletes are up there with the best in the Commonwealth,” said Sim.
“The athletes are now looking forward to the next Commonwealth Championships to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.”
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