Spartans dominate the SA karate stage
Spartans Karate Dojo has moved up the ranks as 23 of their athletes performed well during a national championship.
Twenty-three athletes from Spartans Karate Dojo represented South Africa during the Japan Karate Shoto National Championships held at the Portuguese Hall in Johannesburg recently.
According to Spartan’s public relations officer Martin Venter, their athletes brought home 11 gold, 14 silver, and 11 bronze medals.
“The competition was challenging and the athletes battled hard to end in the top three of South Africa’s karate clubs,” he said.
On top of their game, Juan-Drè Loots won gold for Kumite (fighting) in the 18 to 39-year-old male division. Further, Sihle Selamolela competed in the team Kata event winning gold after competing in the 14 to 15-year-old male Kata division.
Lucas Moloi competed in the 50+ year male Kumite category bagging two bronze medals respectively while Enzo Pillay competed in the 18 to 39-year-old male Kata and team Kata events managing to get bronze and silver respectively.
Melusi Masango also worked hard in the 14 to 15-year-old male Kumite and 14 to 15-year-old male and female Kata events winning silver and gold respectively.
Sensei Enzo Pillay said the dojo is producing athletes for the future and that the calibre of students who come out of the Spartans Dojo can rival anyone in the world. He added their students are not just good at karate but the lessons they learn will prepare them for the rest of their lives.
“The students feel extremely proud of themselves and their team knows that what they have accomplished is due to the hard work they put in. They are looking forward to bettering themselves for the future,” Martin said.
