Kensington karate athletes returned from India with four medals in hand, capping off a successful outing at the 8th World Goju-Ryu Karate Federation (WGKF) World Championship.
The championships, held every two years, took place from Monday 5 to Saturday 10 October and were organised by the Union of Goju Ryu Karate Do Federation (UGKFI).
The Kensington Karate School athletes formed part of a South African team representing the Goju-Ryu Karate Federation South Africa.
A total of 70 South African athletes attended the global martial arts event, while Kensington head instructor Tharwa Hendricks was invited to serve as a judge.
The Kensington group returned home yesterday (14 October) with one gold, one bronze and two silver medals.
Medal Haul
Jean-Phillipe Tobias (16), who made his debut at the championships, won gold in the junior team kumite category and bronze in the junior kata category.
“It was an incredible experience. My fights went well. Throughout the year I put in the hard work and I did my best and I am happy with the outcomes,” he said.
Rania Gamieldien (20) secured two silver medals in the under-21 female kumite and senior female kumite categories.
Miengaah Hendricks (20) also formed part of the Kensington group that competed at the championships.
Tharwa said judging the competition was a nerve-wracking experience, as she assessed athletes from different countries, but she enjoyed the challenge.
“It was quite nice on a cultural level and on a sport level. The Kensington team did really well. I am so proud of them. I don’t think we have stopped smiling about it.”
She said the experience had encouraged the athletes to work even harder and motivated them to improve their performances.
“This was JP’s first time and he did well. I think the bug has bitten him now. Miengaah has gotten new encouragement to go further which is nice… there is more motivation from everyone to do better.”
According to Tharwa, being invited to compete at the world championships was a proud moment for the school because it reflected the athletes’ hard work and commitment.
Rania and Miengaah have been invited to compete at the championships several times before.
Tharwa explained that athletes are selected based on their performances over a period and the points they accumulate, rather than a single performance.
Parental Support
Tharwa also praised the parents for the sacrifices they make to support their children in a sport that requires significant financial investment.
“Being selected is not only an achievement for the athletes but for the parents as well. This is a self-funded sport, so parents are working hard to make sure that their children can get the best opportunities.
“This sport is not cheap, equipment and gear is expensive. I am proud of the parents to sticking it especially in this economy.”
She said karate was about more than competition, highlighting the close relationships she had built with the athletes over the years.
“I feel like these athletes are my children. Rania and Miengaah have been with me since they were 6 years old. I have seen them growing into young strong women. It is a proud moment for me as their instructor.”
Tharwa appealed to businesses and the wider community to support karate and help athletes access more opportunities to compete.
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