HARARE, Zimbabwe – Young South African karateka belted out success on the world stage this weekend as Zimbabwe played host to the historic Karate One Youth League Harare 2026, the first of its kind to be hosted in Africa.

The Karate One Youth League serves as a platform for the development of young karate practitioners worldwide as they strive to advance in the sport under the umbrella of the World Karate Federation’s prominent Karate One competitions.

Harare was the second stop on the 2026 Karate One Youth League calendar after the series opener in Fujairah (UAE) in February. he Karate One Youth League will next travel to Manila (Philippines), followed by Porec (Croatia), Guadalajara (Mexico), and Venice (Italy).

Over 200 athletes from 34 countries participated in Harare from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 March with Zimbabwe presenting the largest delegation with 73 entries, followed by South Africa with 64 entries.

Day one delivers strong start

Day one of the competition kicked off with strong performances on Thursday as young athletes from across the globe showed the growing strength of youth karate across the African continent and beyond.

South Africa’s first gold went to Rio Cruz after a strong victory in an all-South African final in the Junior Kumite Male 76 kg category. Cruz built his lead early with fast attacks and controlled the match until the end, defeating Handre Dreyer 9–3.

Shivaan Ramdhial secured silver in the Junior Kata Male category after losing 5–0 to Nolan Schedel of Switzerland in the final.

Friday highlights

On Friday Brendan Engelbrecht produced the standout performance of day two for South Africa claiming gold in the Junior Kumite Male -61 kg division. Brendan dominated his final against Burundi’s Ismael Niyubuntu with a convincing 6-1 victory. The South African was sharp and decisive from the opening exchanges, establishing an early lead and maintaining control throughout the contest.

In the Cadet Kata Male division Cristiano Antonio Cibrario Coelho delivered an impressive performance to reach the final, where he was ultimately defeated 5-0 by Egypt’s Abdo Selim. Despite the loss, the South African’s technical skill and composure throughout the tournament earned him a well-deserved silver medal.

Final day success

South Africans swept up two more gold and two silver on the final day of the competition on Saturday.

Isabella Chitharai won the U-14 Kata Female category beating Zimbabwean Elizabeth Maganga 5–0 with a clean and precise routine that earned support from the judges.

Raahi Ramchunder triumphed in another all-South African final, beating fellow countryman Dylan Seyffert 4–2 in the Cadet Kumite Male -63 kg final. Raahi finished the match with a composed performance.

Chinedu Okpugo of South Africa earned silver after losing 5–2 to Valentino Yael Lavado Rojas of Peru in a fast-paced Cadet Kumite Male -70 kg final that featured strong exchanges from both fighters.

Bronze medallists

Several South Africans also bagged bronze medals in the bronze finals and repechage rounds. They are Robert Rijkheer (Cadet Kata Male, and Cadet Kumite Male -52 kg), Jenna-Lee Atkinson (Cadet Kumite Female -54 kg), Pierson Harper (Junior Kata Male), Yathiksha Sewpersad (Junior Kumite Female -53 kg), Boipelo Sebole (Junior Kumite Female -53 kg), Shivaan Ramdhial (Junior Kumite Male -55 kg), Yadav Panchpersadh (Junior Kumite Male -55 kg), Shannon Aricksamy (Junior Kumite Male -61 kg), Zayan Ghoor (Junior Kumite Male -68 kg), Galliano Boni (Junior Kumite Male 76 kg), Milena Maffia (U-14 Kata Female), Luandro Bornman (U-14 Kumite Male +45 kg), and Khumoetsile Sekano (U-14 Kumite Male -45 kg).

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The final day in Harare closed a memorable edition of the Karate One Youth League, according to the WKF, with strong performances from athletes across Africa, Europe, and other regions showing the depth of talent in youth karate. It also marked an important step for the sport on the African continent.

Catch all the Karate One Youth League Harare action on the WKF YouTube channel.