Doryoku Judo Academy is celebrating the exceptional performance of its judoka, who delivered impressive results at the recent National Championships held at the Feathermarket Hall in Gqeberha earlier in July.

The team of 15 participated in this tournament, which also attracted competitors from Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Great Britain and Angola.

The talented judoka collected medals in their respective divisions for Kata and Kumite.

Kata success

In the Nage No Kata (nine-year-old) category, Ethan Fincham and Lourens Brits earned a bronze medal, while Xia van Rooyen and Markus Botha finished fourth.

In the 11-year-old division, Rudolph Gibbs and Noa van der Walt secured fifth place, while Cara Claassen and Cameron Swanepoel placed fourth in Group 4 (15–17 years).

The academy also celebrated two national championship titles in the senior divisions with Reece-Hunter Erasmus and Niel Bruwer earning gold in Nage No Kata Group 6 and Niel and Shasa-Mercédez Erasmus claiming gold in Katame No Kata Group 6.

Adding to the celebration, Reece-Hunter Erasmus and Niel Bruwer qualified for Protea Colours, earning the honour of representing South Africa at the World Kata Championships in September and the African Kata Championships in December.

Kumite results

• National Schools Novice Judo Tournament
Gold – Daxton Brits, Ethan Fincham and Christiaan du Plessis
Silver – Markus Botha
Bronze – Lourens Brits and Loami Swanepoel
• National Schools Advanced Judo Tournament
Gold – Xia van Rooyen, Ekhard de Waal and Diago Taylor
Bronze – Noa van der Walt, Rudolph Gibbs and Jessica Reid.
• SA Open Judo Tournament
Cara Claassen claimed gold in her division, while Niel Bruwer added another gold medal in the Masters category.
• Team results
Gold – Boys Group 3A Teams (13 –14 years) and the Men Group 6 Team Combined with Tshwane
Silver – Girls Group 3 and 4 Teams (13–17 years) and the Boys Group 4A Teams (15–17 years)

Head coach Danie Bruwer expressed immense pride in the achievements of his students.

“Our judoka demonstrated tremendous dedication, discipline and fighting spirit throughout the tournament. Their achievements are a testament to months of hard work. I would also like to thank our assistant coaches, whose commitment and support played a vital role in these excellent results.”

The Doryoku Judo Academy Dojo is located at 19 Kapiva Street in Roodekrans.