Medals galore at karate champs

A GROUP of 46 students from Goju Ryu Karate Namibia won a total of 20 medals at the recently concluded Africa Karate Championships held in Bloemfontein.

The event commemorated the establishment of Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate in Africa 40 years ago. The International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Federation (IOGKF) is the largest Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate organisation in the world with members in 53 countries.The Namibian Goju Ryu team obtained 20 medals – one more than last year.Some of the remarkable achievements were by the Lewis family, Johan, Gerda and their daughter Michelle, who all won gold medals.Roche Louw of Walvis Bay successfully defended the title he won last year by again obtaining gold in his division.The best performance was by Stefan van der Merwe who won his division for the fourth consecutive year.The Namibian Black Belt team obtained a medal for the first time by winning bronze in a division of seven regional teams, which included all members of the team that won the World Championships earlier this year.The standard of the competition was said to be much higher than earlier this year, when the South African Black Belt team was crowned world championships at the IOGKF World Championships in Canada.Karateka have to win both the Kata and Kumite disciplines in order to proceed to the next round.This means that only one medal is awarded for both categories.The medal winners were as follows (all from Windhoek unless indicated otherwise): Gold: (8) Chad Hansen, Shirleen de Wee, Roché Louw (Walvis Bay), Stefan van der Merwe, Gerda Lewis, Johan Lewis, Michelle Lewis, Arista Geldenhuys Silver: (5) Kai Brockmann, Tjitu Tjiuoro, Veto Tjiuoro, Johanna Akweenda & Mufaro Nhundu.Bronze: (7) Roland Walder, Sandra Tegethoff, Kelao Uiras, Christine van Zyl (Gobabis), Sam Ekandjo, Juergen van Wyk & Willie Viljoen 4th places: (7) Daniela Walder, Asheequa Emamdien (Walvis Bay), Lenishwa Engelbrecht, Batshidi Matjila (Gobabis), Andy Burkhardt, Alistair Dieterich & Andrie Labuschagne (Gobabis).For more information about Goju Ryu Karate, please phone (061) 24 1879 or visit the website at: www.goju-ryu-karate-namibia.com/ Goju Ryu thanks JGM Transport for its sponsorship of the club.The International Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Federation (IOGKF) is the largest Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate organisation in the world with members in 53 countries. The Namibian Goju Ryu team obtained 20 medals – one more than last year.Some of the remarkable achievements were by the Lewis family, Johan, Gerda and their daughter Michelle, who all won gold medals.Roche Louw of Walvis Bay successfully defended the title he won last year by again obtaining gold in his division.The best performance was by Stefan van der Merwe who won his division for the fourth consecutive year.The Namibian Black Belt team obtained a medal for the first time by winning bronze in a division of seven regional teams, which included all members of the team that won the World Championships earlier this year.The standard of the competition was said to be much higher than earlier this year, when the South African Black Belt team was crowned world championships at the IOGKF World Championships in Canada.Karateka have to win both the Kata and Kumite disciplines in order to proceed to the next round.This means that only one medal is awarded for both categories.The medal winners were as follows (all from Windhoek unless indicated otherwise): Gold: (8) Chad Hansen, Shirleen de Wee, Roché Louw (Walvis Bay), Stefan van der Merwe, Gerda Lewis, Johan Lewis, Michelle Lewis, Arista Geldenhuys Silver: (5) Kai Brockmann, Tjitu Tjiuoro, Veto Tjiuoro, Johanna Akweenda & Mufaro Nhundu.Bronze: (7) Roland Walder, Sandra Tegethoff, Kelao Uiras, Christine van Zyl (Gobabis), Sam Ekandjo, Juergen van Wyk & Willie Viljoen 4th places: (7) Daniela Walder, Asheequa Emamdien (Walvis Bay), Lenishwa Engelbrecht, Batshidi Matjila (Gobabis), Andy Burkhardt, Alistair Dieterich & Andrie Labuschagne (Gobabis).For more information about Goju Ryu Karate, please phone (061) 24 1879 or visit the website at: www.goju-ryu-karate-namibia.com/ Goju Ryu thanks JGM Transport for its sponsorship of the club.