Karate count-down
JAPAN’S two-time world champion Murakami Manabu will arrive in South Africa tomorrow (Thursday) where he will preside over the Kanazawa Cup Karate Tournament at the Tongaat Sports Centre.
The Kanazawa Cup is the flagship annual event, now in its 17th year, of the Shotokan Karate International South Africa (Skisa).
Manabu, the 8th Dan Japanese karate grandmaster, will conduct a camp for local karatekas at the Tongaat Sports Centre on Friday, followed by the tournament which will take place over the weekend.
Skisa president Hanshi Sonny Pillay urged welfare organisations and NGOs to attend the workshop on Friday.
“It’s not every day that one gets an opportunity to train under a Japanese grandmaster and I urge everyone keen on the sport to come see him in action.”
Pillay said over 600 of the top karatekas from around the country will converge on the Tongaat Sports Centre, each in an attempt to lift the coveted cup.
“Karatekas, both male and female, will be separated into the following categories – children, cadets, juniors, seniors and veterans (36 and older).
“Protea team captain Theo Pillay is expected to retain his Kanazawa Cup title in the Open Mens Black Belt division. He has held the title for the past five years.
The challenge in Pillay’s division will come from Damian Nair and Pretoria karateka Balungile Nkosi.
“Top Protea karateka Riasha Singh is expected to demolish all opposition in the Women’s Open Black Belt division,” said Pillay.
He added that captain of the Skisa Ladies team, Tina Lee Singh, is confident that they will again win the Ladies’ Team title, as they have for the past 10 years.
Pillay predicts the junior boys division will be a keenly contested affair between Osman Ghoor, Bzemil Muric and Yashveer Jugoo.
Entry fee to watch these fighters in action is R30 for adults and R20 for children. The action kicks off at 8am and ends at 6pm.
For enquiries call 082 557 7784 or e-mail Lorenzo.pillay@gmail.com