The Goju Kai Ekurhuleni Karate Academy in Bedfordview, under the mentorship of renshi-shihan Russell Sim, recently sent 32 of its members to the Gauteng Karate Federation Provincial and Development Championships, held at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre in Johannesburg.
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It was a well-attended provincial championship and a very high standard of karate was displayed over the two days of the competition.
The tournament was divided into two categories, the first category was for the elite athletes who had qualified through their Ekurhuleni district in their district’s elite qualification tournament, while the second category was aimed at development athletes who are up-and-coming, and aiming to break into the elite divisions in the future.
Twenty-six dojo members entered the elite provincial trials, and, in total, the dojo brought back 50 elite medals – 30 gold, six silver and 14 bronze.
The Goju Kai dojo produced 20 provincial champions at the elite competition, thus making it the most successful dojo in Gauteng at this year’s provincial championships.
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“We were expecting to do well at the provincial champs, but never did we expect that we would take so many titles. It is one for the books.
“Our athletes put in hours of training and the results reflect all the blood, sweat and tears that went into their preparation. We are over the moon with the dojo’s successes,” said Sim.
The 26 elite athletes have now earned their Ekurhuleni karate colours and have been selected for the Gauteng provincial all-styles team, which will compete at the Karate South Africa National Karate Championships in March.
They will all receive their Gauteng provincial colours once they have represented their province at the nationals.
Individual results were as follow:
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Sensei Jess Sim: gold medals for kata and team kata
Sensei Bongi Ngwenya: gold medal for team kata
Sensei Brad Ho-Tong: gold medal for team kata
Caitlyn Routley: gold medal for kumite
Stefan van der Merwe: gold medals for team kata and kumite and bronze medal for kata
Sempai Mikayla Alves: gold medal for kata and silver medal for kumite
Sempai Connor Hundermark: gold medal for team kata and silver medal for kata
AJ van der Merwe: gold medal for kumite and bronze for kata
Praneel Ramjee: gold medals for kumite and team kata, and silver medal for kata
Giancarlo Ferrante: gold medal for kata and bronze medal for kumite
Cristiano Coelho: silver medal for kata
Prayan Ramjee: gold medals for kata and kumite
Suzaan Botha: gold medals for kata, team kata and kumite
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Tyler Kabali-Kagwa: gold medals for kata, team kata and kumite
Lilly Loots: silver medal for kumite
Chloe Keartland: gold medal for team kata, silver medal for kumite and bronze for kata
Phumelele Ngwenya: gold for team kata and kata, and bronze medal for kumite
Gabriella Toweel: gold medals kata and team kata
Jazmin Turton: gold medal for team kata, bronze medals for kata and kumite
Mathew Soares: gold medal for team kata and bronze medal for kata
Izabella Turton: bronze medals for kata and kumite
Nomthi Ndebele: bronze medal for kumite
Deidre Loots: bronze medals for kata and kumite
Riaan Turton: bronze medal for kata
Sempai Tayla Murray: gold medal for team kata
Kate Ward: gold medal for team kata
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The dojo’s development athletes also represented the Ekurhuleni district in the development section of the competition.
The dojo entered six athletes and they returned with 10 medals – three gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
“This was a fantastic showing from our inexperienced tournament athletes. They had to learn the rules of competition very quickly and applied their knowledge with aplomb in both the kata and kumite sections.
“Their results speak for themselves – it was a fine showing by our novice athletes. We are very proud of them.
“It takes great courage to step onto that competition mat for the first time and not one of them showed any hesitation, it was inspiring to watch,” he said.
Development individual results were as follows:
Allison Loots: gold medal for kata and bronze medal for kumite
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Knowledge Obada: gold medals for kata and kumite
Israel Obada: silver medal for kumite
Nakesha Desai: silver medal for kata and bronze for kumite
Rizz alla El-boustani: bronze medals for kata and kumite
Cameron Holtzhauzen: silver medal for kata
These athletes will represent the Gauteng development team at the KSA Development Nationals in September.
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