- Title: Rwanda wins its first gold at Africa Karate Championships
- Date: 3rd September 2018
- Summary: BOARD SHOWING RESULTS OF WINNERS
- Embargoed: 17th September 2018 18:07
- Keywords: Karate championship African sports African Juniors Karate Championships
- Location: KIGALI, RWANDA
- City: KIGALI, RWANDA
- Country: Rwanda
- Topics: Karate,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0038W2P0EV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A strong finish at the 17th edition of the African Juniors Karate Championships propelled Rwanda to win its first ever gold medal at the tournament.
Rwanda made its debut in the three day event, which ended on Sunday (September 02) in Kigali and attracted over 300 karate fighters from 25 countries.
Seventeen-year-old Maic Shyaka Ndutiye battled it out with Egypt's Amr Alaa Abokora in the 55 kg male category, netting the East African country its first gold medal.
"These guys (Egypt players) are really good, they are really good in Karate all of them, they are champions. So what I tried to look at their videos, to learn much more from them. Actually our coach is from Egypt, so he helped us, he helped me to get this medal," Ndutiye said.
The competition was for both Kata and Kumite disciplines, for those between 14-19 years old both in the male and the female category.
Kata, consists of detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs, while Kumite consists of freestyle karate moves.
Despite a strong showing in its first participation at the championships, Rwanda was sixth on the medal table.
Cameroon took fifth place, South Africa was fourth, Morocco third, Algeria second, while Egypt dominated with 26 medals.
Rwanda coach, Hashin Mahmud Mohamed praised his team for a strong showing and said he believed his team would continue to get better.
"We begin training two months ago, we begun with general fitness and the karate fitness and begin after that karate and begin gym, and now last days, we have technical karate and move in the stadium, and everything the players want in the stadiums and everything our players can player games," he said.
For many of the 30 fighters from Team Rwanda, the tournament was good for exposure and learning.
"I started karate because I loved it so much, not knowing that I will become professional, I could not imagine that I could participate in such a competition," said one team member, Florence Niyigena.
"We still have a long way to go, but I think journey that's the beauty of these kinds of tournaments, although after the matches you get very emotional at the end of the day, there is always something small you try to pick from some matches and from the other coaches that are around, from the players themselves, small things that you get to learn," added another team member, Victor Shyaka.
"We saw quite a high level of technical expertise, as well as on the arbitrage level. I am very surprised by the development and the level of karate in Rwanda. I know Rwanda very well and it's a level I had not seen before. You did an extraordinary job, you just need to continue in the same path," said president of the African Karate Federation Union (UFAK), Mohamed Tahar Meshabi.
The 18th edition of the African Juniors Karate Championships is due to take place in Botswana next year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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