HITTING IT BIG
Zanshin students bring home the medals and their Protea colours
FOUR students from Zanshin Shito-ryu Karate-do in Kimberley recently returned home with medals from Karate South Africa’s (KSA) National League 1 Championships that was held in Cape Town.
The four Zanshin Shito-ryu students had been training tirelessly for months to prepare for the championships, and their hard work paid off. They knew that they were up against tough competition, but they were determined to give it their all and represent Northern Cape Karate with pride.
The tournament was held over two days, and the students competed in various events such as kata and kumite.
Alex Becker put on a good performance in kata and was awarded a bronze medal. Markus Becker was unstoppable in kumite and returned home with a gold medal, while Mïcke Strydom also put up a fierce fight in kumite and was awarded a silver medal. Kgosietsile Maganelo, meanwhile, impressed the judges with his moves and won a bronze medal in kumite
Their Shihan Peter Stegmann was bursting with pride at their achievement. “I am so proud of all their effort, dedication, and the results achieved,” Stegman told the DFA.
“They have shown great character and discipline throughout their training, and it has paid off.”
But the students’ journey was far from over.
On Sunday morning, the KSA hosted a national training session for all the athletes, and the national selectors announced the National Team for the UFAK Region South Championship that would be held in June 2023.
Shihan Stegmann was delighted to hear that Markus Becker and Mïcke Strydom had both been selected for the Protea team, while Kgosietsile Maganelo was selected for the KSA National Team.
“We are also now preparing for the upcoming national training session that will take place in Durban from the 5th to the 7th of May. This training session is only for the students who were chosen for the national team. From there, they will go to the Union of African Karate Federations (UFAK) Region 5 Championship in Zimbabwe.
“This is a fantastic achievement for our students and a testament to their hard work and dedication,” he said. “I am sure that they will continue to make us proud.”
Shihan Stegmann said that as the club celebrated its success, they were grateful for the opportunities that KSA had provided them to better themselves and become the best they could be.
He added that they realised that none of it would have been possible without the help of God, who had been with them every step of the way.