WAKO Region 5 Development Championships

Rudi Bowe 

The WAKO Region 5 Kickboxing Development Championships (hosted by the Namibian Kickboxing Federation (NKF)) as Desert Storm III, takes place held at the Jan Wilken Indoor Sport complex in Walvis Bay.

The championships started today and concludes tomorrow. The championships is also part of National trials for fighters to participate in international kickboxing events coming up.  A total of 150 fighters participate in the event. Apart from Namibian kickboxers there are also fighters from Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Swaziland and Brazil.
Mr. Gideon Sam, the President of SASCOC, and Mr. Aslam Mahomed, President of Africa Region 5 Kickboxing Confederation, as well as Master Joe Viljoen, the World President of Ring Contact Fighting Art International (RCFAI), will also be in attendance.
Anita De Klerk, the President of NKF and WAKO Namibia, said during an interview “Desert Storm III is the largest Martial Arts Championships in Namibia”.
De Klerk added that three Sub-Saharan titles will be contested and it’s the only Martial Arts Championship of its kind.
“We are proud to have such a strong bond with the international bodies that represent martial arts in Africa and beyond. Such an event with so many participants and spectators visiting Walvis Bay is also good for the community and the local economy”, De Klerk added.
Lesley !Hoaëb (Lightweight Division) and Delano Müller (Featherweight Division) will defend their Sub-Saharan titles during main title fights.
Müller (15) made history in June this year when he became the first Namibian to win the World Title Belt in the Featherweight Division in a world contest held in the United States.