Kenya set for World Karate Championships

Sensei Koichiro Okuma, 6th DAN, Japan Karate Association, JKA, Headquarters, right, with Hezron Ouma Coach Mbita Karate Club during the Japan Karate Association for a Five days East Africa Regional Gasshuku Training Camp at Safaricom Stadium Kasarani on Saturday, August 17th, 2014. Photo/Jonah Onyango.

From November 5 to 9 this year, Kenya will line-up together with other countries to take part in the World Karate Championships in Bremen, Germany.

Mbita Karate Club is among those that will produce players for the Kenyan team and coach Hesborn Ouma Dondi says they are looking forward to making a mark at the international stage.

"Such opportunities come once in a while and are excited about it," Dondi said. "We are training very hard even as we wait on the national office to tell us how many of our players will be in the national team."

Mbita Club sent players for the national trials that were held at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani three weeks ago by Japan Association Karate coaches which included Sensei Koichiro Okuma. Other coaches were Edward Mshale from South Africa and Kenya's Colonel (retired) Vincent Anami.

Dondi says it gave them a lot of experience. "We learnt a lot by competing against established players at this level," he pointed, and urged county governments to promote the sport for self-defense purposes.

"We need a lot of support from private companies and especially the county governments. The sport needs to be popularised for self-defense purpose."

The World Karate Federation World Championships stands out as the highlight of the worldwide Karate scene. From November 5 to 9, the world's best will compete for 16 World Champion titles.

This is the second time (after Munich in 2000) the World Championships take place in Germany, and also the second international Karate tournament after the 2003 European Championships to be hosted in Bremen.

The following categories will be competed for during the championships: Kata (Fixed practice), best woman, best man, best female team and best male team. Kumite (free fight).

Best woman (in weight classes up to 50 / 55 / 61 / 68 and over 68 kg), best man (in weight classes up to 60 / 67 / 75 / 84 and over 84 kg), best female team and best male team.