AFCKO award ceremony held

The AFCKO Karate Awards were established by AFCKO founder shihan Thulane Sibisi, after noticing the commitment and dedication of full-contact karate students nationally.

Every December, AFCKO organises this event to encourage athletes to work hard in different categories of the sport.

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Delivering his speech during the ceremony, Sibisi said, “I would like all the karatekas to continue to do well. The fact that other players were awarded, while others were not must not discourage those who did not get anything. Instead, it must serve as a morale booster for the following year to pull up your socks.”

Sibisi added that the year had been very good for AFCKO and pleaded with karatekas to continue flying the AFCKO flag very high like they did this year.Sibisi went on to sing praises of some of the karatekas like sempei Thando Masha, sempei Pontsho Nkopane, sempei Kensani Baloyi, sensei Mbali Msomi and sempei Anele Madlala who represented AFCKO at different events and competitions and made everyone from the organisation proud.

Nkopane and Masha got positions one and two at Sebokeng during the AFCKO Junior Tournament, while Baloyi got position two during the Eastern Cape Junior Tournament.

Msomi got position one in Matlotsana at the Matlotsane Karate Tournament in North West in March, while Madlala went to Russia, where he defeated some of the best fighters and came back with a world championship title in the World Fighting Kyokushin Organisation.

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Karatekas received big trophies for their hard work.

Msomi said she was very excited about her achievement because she won against the best fighters from all over the country.

“It was tough because every best lady was there, but I still managed to come back as number one in the tournament,” said Msomi.

Other categories that athletes were awarded for are as follow:

Best fighter of the year:

Male: Kamohelo Mtyeku

Female: Kensani Baloyi.

Best Kata of the year:

Male: Siyabonga Pitso

Female: Lillian Mananyetso.

Best Dojo of the year:

Thokoza Karate Club Dojo, under sensei Mbali Msomi.

Best instructor of the year:

Philemon Mabati.

Best attendance of the year:

Katleho Thubela.

Most supportive parent of the year

Queen Baloyi.

Best spirited fighter of the year

Sibongumusa Mngomezulu.

Kensani’s mother, Queen Baloyi, told this publication that she does not regret sending her child to partake in the sport.

“This in one of the best sports I know. Since my daughter started playing the sport, she has been very disciplined,” said Baloyi.

Sibisi thanked the parents for the support they have given to their children.

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