Bedfordview karatekas shine with 68 medals

Thirty-five karateka from the Goju Kai St Andrews Karate Academy in Bedfordview recently excelled at the Gauteng Goju Kai Championships.

The championships were held at Curro Serengeti on June 28.

The karate students brought home an impressive 68 medals — 26 gold, 28 silver, and 14 bronze.They prepared rigorously for the tournament, with some training up to seven days a week in both kata and kumite (fighting) divisions.

For many of the students, this was their very first tournament, and they acquitted themselves well — with several earning medals despite being novices.

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Twenty-five of the karateka used the championships to gain valuable mat-time and experience ahead of the Goju Kai Global Championships, which will take place in Chiba, Japan in August.

The Gauteng event formed part of their final preparations for the global stage.

Individual results were as follows:
• Sensei Jesse Sim – gold for kata.
• Senpai Tayla Murray – silver for kata and kumite.
• Senpai Connor Hundermark – gold for kata.
• Senpai Praneel Ramjee – silver for kumite and bronze for kata.
• Senpai Stefan van der Merwe – golds for kata and kumite.
• Senpai AJ van der Merwe – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Prayan Ramjee – gold for kata and kumite.
• Caitlyn Routley – silver for kata and kumite.
• Lillian Loots – bronze for kata and kumite.
• Allison Loots – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Izabella Turton – gold for kata and kumite.
•J azmin Turton – gold for kata and kumite.
• Riaan Turton – gold for kata and kumite.
• Kate Ward – gold for kata and silver for kumite.
• Knowledge Obada – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Nomthandazo Ndebele – gold for kumite.
• Tiisetso Molapo – silver for kata and bronze for kumite.
• Mthokozisi Moshinini – silver for kumite.
• Chloe Sanchez – silver for kata and kumite.
• Alexander Sanchez – gold for kata and kumite.
• Daniel Njoku – bronze for kata.
• Abella Grobler – silver for kumite.
• Joseph Chipala – bronze for kumite.
• Rethabile Zungu – silver for kata.
• Carlos Cristovao – silver for kumite and bronze for kata.
• Ziyah Pahaladh – gold for kata and silver for kumite.
• Niven Soman – silver for kata.
• Nikita Bhoola – bronze for kata.
• Vihan Surjoo – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Deidre Loots – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Milla-Anne Hollamby – gold for kumite and silver for kata.
• Gugulam Ndebele – silver for kumite.
• Tatum Govender – gold for kata.
• Olivia Ma – silver for kata and bronze for kumite.
• Layla Nkolombo – gold for kumite and bronze for kata.
• Layla Dodd – silver for kumite and bronze for kata.
• Donovan Nortje – silver for kata and kumite.
• Connor Falls – gold for kata and bronze for kata.
• Pari Nagesar – gold for kata.
• Aidan Falls – silver for kumite and bronze for kata.