Kenya goes to World Karate Championship after 32 years

National karate team during a past training. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

By Oscar Pilipili

Kenya has entered a team of 13 players in the World Karate Championship for the first time in 32 years.

The team departed last night for the Championship venue of Paris, France, ready for the one week tournament that has assembled the world’s best karatekas.

Led by the Kenya Karate Federation (KKF) chairman Caleb Atemi, the team is literally making its maiden trip to the world tournament.

The squad comprises of four ladies who will enter the kumite competition and nine men; three for kata and six kumite. 

“The last time Kenya participated at the World stage was in 1980, when Yashio Tamura, then coach of the Kenya Prisons and national team took three players to Spain,” recalled Atemi.

The players who participated in the event were: Peter Opiyo, Paul Amol, and Stephen Githuthua.

Major achievement

“Since the participation of the three, we have been in the cold. All our players had not been born then. This is therefore a major achievement for my team and I,” said Atemi.

Top players in the current team include All African Games bronze medallist Anthony Fondo, African gojuru champion Joyce Juma and Africa zone champions Mirabe Mapenzi.

 Atemi told journalists that the team had been sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

“Due to lack of funds, we never had the chance of placing our players in the training camp. We have been training by the Grace of God. Our players have been meeting six days a week at Kasarani, poolside to train in Kumite and Kata,” he explained.

Atemi said the exponents have endured hardships and pain “but we are proud of their bravery and lion heart spirit. However, their morale is very high.”

He said that the team was going to Paris in the true Kenyan spirit of fighting champions.