NAKU makes history

This past weekend the Namibia Karate Union (NAKU) hosted the 18th Region 5 Karate Championships at the Dome, Swakopmund.

This year’s Region 5 tournament, which took place from the 23-25 May, broke ground as being the first of its kind to take place over 3 days, thus mimicking that of many other international level tournaments.
National Karate Teams from 7 Countries in Region 5 (Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe) traveled to Swakopmund to take part in the event and over 266 contestants competed to be crowned the best in Southern Africa.
After 3 days of hard-fought battles on the tatami Team Namibia, which consisted of 86 of Namibia’s best Karate Talent, managed to once again secure its place in the top three countries with 19 Gold, 25 Silver, and 61 Bronze Medals.
South Africa was first with 28 Gold 25 Silver and 29 Bronze and Botswana second with 25 Gold 21 Silver and 21 Bronze, Zimbabwe with 1 Gold 1 Silver and 1 bronze were fourth, fifth place was Mozambique with 1 Gold and 1 Silver, in the six place was Zambia with 1 Gold and 2 Bronze and in the last place was Angola with 1 Silver.
Chief Administrator of the Namibia Sports Com-mission Fred Mwiya said that the Namibian team has grown exceptionally and is a pace setter for the region with the level of competition that is unique and especially now that we have a lot of experienced youngsters taking part in the sport”.
Mwiya added that it took Namibia eight years to build the current team and Namibia Karate learned from neighbouring countries over the past years and are now finally able to compete and that the tournament served as a good platform for Namibian athletes to prepare for other upcoming international events and qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games that is a dream.
The African Karate Championship will take place in June in Botswana and the African Games in August in Morocco.
NAKU would like to congratulate the Namibia Karate Team and Sensei Llewellyn Manale, Coach of the Namibia Karate Team, on their amazing performance over the weekend.
When asked to comment on his team’s success, Coach Manale proudly stated “The event was a huge success. We prepared well and the athletes gave their best on the floor. We made huge strides to be where we are now and we are going to build on this momentum. Watch this team, there are greater things to come”.
Also present at the Region 5 Karate Championships this year was chairman of the World Karate Federation Referee Commission Javier Escalante. Mr Escalante presented the 2019 Region 5 Referee and Coaches Examinations on the 22 May in preparation for the event and also oversaw the action of the tournament. As head of the WKF Referee Commission Mr Escalante hopes to help raise the standard of WKF Karate Unions around the world as we move towards the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.Many senior Namibian karate officials were present for the course and the Namibia Karate Union would like to congratulate the following on their newly received qualifications:
Theresa Swart- Kata Zone Judge A & Kumite Zone Judge A
Stephan De Jager- Kata ZoneJudge B &Kumite Zone Judge B
Yolande De Beer- Kata Zone Judge B
Nichole Sibeso- Kata Zone Judge B &Kumite Zone Judge B
Burtie Wurst – Kata and Kumite Zone Coach
Bonnie Kabuzo – Kumite Zone Coach
Jurgen Van Wyk – Kumite Zone Coach
Stefan Van Der Merwe – Kumite Zone Coach
Hosting an event of such nature and magnitude boasts numerous challenges, both logistically and financially. NAKU wants to extend a tremendous thank you to all individuals involved in the organization and execution of the tournament and would specifically like to thank the following sponsors for their contribution to making the event such a success:
First National Bank Namibia (Mr Gordon Pokolo)
Vision Africa Research Services Namibia (Ms Romancia Shoonga)
Paratus Telecommunication (Ms Sunette Burden)
BON Hotel (Mr Ross Hill)
Featha Grafix (Ms Stephanie Fahl)
Microtech Namibia (Mr Corné du Plessis)
Old Mutual Namibia (Mr Christopher Freygang)
Namibia Sports Commission (Mr Simataa Mwiya)
Cupboards@Swakop (Mr Charl Botes)
The Namibia Karate Union is proud to announce its Medal Winners:
Abraham Losper
Alexander Neidel
Anco Vermeulen
Anthony Palmer
Biandri Duvenhage
Bora Dadi
Brandon-lee Martin
Brian Nakambonde
Caitlin Louw
Carlo Amia
Celine Shilongo
Charmaine Jansen
Chris Mclune
Christiaan De Schmidt
Damien Klein
Daniel Tjimuku
Devano Diergaardt
Dominique Tsaneb
Edward Drotsky
Ehno Uamburu
Elsabe Du Plessis
Emilio Joseph
Eveline Amakali
Franco Nauseb
Freddy Mwiya
Henry Jooste
Herman Van Zyl
Jamal Simataa
Jan Magiel Leff
Jd Rossouw
Jean De Schmidt
Jewel Slinger
Joaquin Nel
Jonas Amunyela
Jordan Rossouw
Joshua Kunneke
Julian Stuurman
Julio Mwiya
Jurgen Van Wyk
Justin Scholtz
Keanu Stuurman
Kevin Theodore
Kyla Scheepers
Lilly Mwiya
Mayvonne Swart
Mccleod Diergaardt
Mershall Jansen
Merziaan Mouton
Michael Nakapandi
Michelle Tjimuku
Miriam Idiou
Monique Jooste
Mustafa Esterhuizen
Nadine Willemse
Nankole Mazila
Nathan Leopoldt
Nathan Muller
Nishaan Titus
Peter Munkelwitz
Phillip Van Antwerpen
Phortune Karongee
Rassie Esterhuizen
Rene Giliomee
Requelle Rickerts
Riette Jacobs
Roche Thomas
Roelien Jones
Ronja Porteus
Rudolph Barnard
Ryan Andreas
Sam Ekandjo
Shamilla Shatika
Shane Husselmann
Shane Maart
Shirleen De Wee
Stefan Van Der Merwe
Stephan De Jager
Suheschia Van Wyk
Suzelle Pronk
Tileni Ithete
Timothy Coleman
Titus Nakambonde
Vaniya Diergaardt
Westley Marshall
Xavier Palmer