Off to give international competitors the chop
ON TUESDAY some of South Africa’s finest young karate students will leave for India to compete in the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association (FSKA) World Championship that starts on Friday.
The three-day event will see 600 participants from 30 countries showing off their skills and going head to head in their quest to be the best fighter in the world. Fighters will be from as young as six years old to even older than 50.
FSKA World Championship is a sport karate tournament that is held in different countries every year.
Tashik Makadooj, 14, Raul Singh, 13, Matthew Marimuthu, 14, Yajna Makadooj, 6, and Reicheil Makadooj, 14, from Warriors Karate Academy in Durban are among the 30 South Africans taking part in this annual tournament.
The academy’s coach, sensei Sudhir Balli, said he was “very excited about representing South Africa and leading the team to victory”.
“I am confident we will make our country proud.”
Those competing for the first time outside the continent are very proud, not only to show off their passion but also to be able to compete with the best in the world.
Marimuthu took up karate in an attempt to learn how to defend himself. However this quickly grew into a passion.
“I feel great because it is my first time competing in a tournament this big overseas. I took part in this tournament last year when it was held in Johannesburg. To be able to represent my country again is an honour.”
When Marimuthu competed last year he finished second in two divisions and third in another. This time the purple belt competitor is determined to bring back gold.