Karate brothers unleash their inner warriors

The South African Japan Karate Association (JKA) hosted their Gauteng Championships for Karate students who wish to qualify and later compete in the JKA World Championships in Japan in October.

Among the qualifying students were brothers Cairo (11) and Kenzo (12) Hutton, two boys from The Kings School West Rand who have shown dedication and passion to this creative form of sport.

“The boys worked so hard to qualify for the championships and it was not easy juggling their practice sessions with their schoolwork but they managed. I am so proud of them and their achievements and I hope they acknowledge their hard work,” said mom Olivia Hutton.

The dynamic duo excelled beyond their expectations. Cairo received his colours for Kata while Kenzo received Gauteng colours for Kata and Kumite.

Kata, in Japanese, means ‘form’. The ‘kata’ constitutes an integral part of martial arts training. Through constant repetition, your body learns to move automatically. Kumite is the sparring element of karate where it’s a process involving strategy, focus, and respect to refine their technique and learn valuable life skills like discipline, teamwork, and resilience.

The boys will both represent Gauteng at nationals in their respective categories which will take place in May in Johannesburg.