Karateka show off skills

A handful of students from the Mossel Bay Dojo attended the annual karate tournament which was part of the Mossel Bay

Sport and Recreation Festival.

This was a good opportunity for the students to showcase the skills they have learned at the dojo.

The event took place on Saturday, 16 September, in the Mossel Bay Town Hall.

There were three separate categories:

Kata

This is a detailed pattern of movements practised either solo or in pairs, a system of individual training incorporating highly practical combat techniques and notions that have been cultivated and polished for centuries.

Kumite

The fighting discipline where athletes compete head-to-head against each other using punching and kicking techniques performed on permitted parts of the body, aiming to earn a higher score than their opponent. Each kumite bout lasts three minutes.

Kobudo

Kobudo is an ancient martial art that originated in Okinawa and is considered a sibling to karate. Some martial arts historians believe Kobudo was the forerunner of karate and served as the inspiration for numerous techniques.

The tournament was officially opened by Mayor Dirk Kotzé. The Mossel Bay Municipality donated the bronze, silver, and gold medals to each of the sport centres

that joined the Mossel Bay Sports Festival. These were received with great gratitude and appreciation.

Karate-Do International Mossel Bay Dojo congratulates the following students:

Men

Bryan Botha - kata gold, kumite bronze, and kobudo silver

Christofer Groenewald - kumite bronze Christopher Smuts - kata gold and kumite gold

Eddie Janse van Nieuwenhuyzen - kata silver and kumite silver

Matthew Botha - kata silver

Owen Cloete - kata silver and kumite silver Robert McCarbe - kata and kumite silver Shaldon Price - kata gold, kumite bronze Stepheno Buitendag - kata gold

Tiaan Nieuwoud - kumite bronze

Women

Issabella van den Berg - kumite silver Joanika Bezuidenhoudt - kata silver Kira Price - kata silver

Mischa Price - kata gold and kobudo gold Melissa Janse van Nieuwenhuizen - kata gold and kumite silver

Sasha Jooste - kata bronze

Sumé Jooste - kata bronze.

Students from Mossel Bay Dojo at the tournament. Back: Kira Price, Owen Cloete, Shaldon Price, Eddie Janse van Niewenhuizen and Christopher Groenewald. Middle: Brian Botha, Melissa Janse van Niewenhuizen, Mischa Price, Robert McCabe, Sumé Joost and Christopher Smuts. Front: Matthew Botha, Sasha Joost, Zeon Snyman, Stefano Buitendag, Tiaan Nieuwoudt, Joanika Bezuidenhout, Alunamda Boyce and Isabella van den Berg.