By Feverpitch Reporter

The Kenya Karate Federation (KKF) has selected a provisional national squad of 40 players for All Africa Games (AAG).

Due to fierce competition, the KKF assembled 65 karateka’s, five more than the original squad of 60 for the kumite and kata selection.

A provisional team, comprising both male and female go to camp on February 14 for the refined selection of Kenyan representatives at the All African Games in Maputo in August.

KKF chairman Caleb Atemi said: "We will start training at our dojo at Kasarani Sports Complex on Valentine’s Day, while we seek a sponsor to help the team move into full residential training."

Great exposure

Atemi said that the selection conducted by the National Technical Karate Committee led by the national karate coach Bon Owiti, also picked a team to represent Kenya at the International Karate Clubs tournament slated for Malindi next month.

He said that Kenya needed to field a strong team and Malindi provided great exposure for Kenyans who have been out of international limelight for years.

He told the media that the national teams from Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda had already confirmed their participation in the March event joining a list of 23 other teams from Europe and Asia.

The event, whose official opening will be conducted by Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, will be broadcast live.

He said that countries like Rwanda, South Africa and Egypt whose teams received major sponsorship from their governments and private sector, were taking their karatekas to several European and Asian countries for build up matches.

Polishing team

Atemi said KKF had invited a senior Karate teacher from South Africa, Jody Young to help with the training and polishing of the Kenyan team. Sensei Young, a senior trainer with the South African national karate team was in Kenya last October conducting karate clinics with Peter Brandon, the Technical Director of the Union of African Karate Federations.

Atemi said part of the sponsorship the federation was seeking would include a Cape Town to Nairobi return air-ticket for Sensei Jody.