Dojo bags 90 medals at three tournaments

Athletes from Goju Karate Academy’s medal hooks are buckling under the weight of their recently acquired accolades.

From the end of February and throughout March, 62 competitors from the dojo participated in three tournaments from Alberton to Gqeberha, palming 90 medals in total.

On February 24, 21 karatekas headed to Pretoria to take to the mats at the All-Styles Karate Challenge.

It was the second tournament on the sport’s competitive calendar, and the locals took the stance, executing their katas with precision, claiming 32 medals – 16 gold, eight silver and eight bronze.

“On March 9, two groups represented our dojo at the Cobras Team Challenge in Alberton,” said fourth dan instructor sensei Tarryn Madgwick.

“Both teams participated in the team kata division. For children 10 years and under, our boys claimed silver. In the children aged 11 to 15, the girls won gold.”

With their Gis (uniforms) perfectly pressed, 35 athletes from team Goju jetted off to Gqeberha’s Boardwalk Hotel Luxury Convention Centre to compete in the WUKF SA National Championships and Afro Asia Open from March 22 to 24.

Nearly 700 individual athletes from 22 federations competed over eight floors for three days.

The countries represented at the tournament included Scotland, America, Namibia, Reunion and SA.

“Our athletes brought home 56 medals, 21 gold, 18 silver and 17 bronze, securely placing us third overall,” said Madgwick.
“We are incredibly proud of our karatekas. Their hard work, dedication and determination are shining bright.”

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