World Authority Karate Club wins national event in Watamu

FILE: Grace Njeri (left) of St. Johns Karate Club, Nairobi, fights with Purity Ngugi (right) from NSSF in the ladies 50kgs category finals during the 2018 Kenya Open Karate Championship at the Patel Samanj hall in Mombasa, April 02, 2018. Njeri won in this category. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

World Authority Karate Club from Nairobi County won this year's National Club Championships held in Watamu on Saturday and Sunday.

The club amassed five medals (three gold, one silver and one bronze) to lift the coveted cup during the competition held at the Watamu Sports and Leisure Centre in Kilifi County on Saturday and Sunday.

Muli Children's Family Karate Club from Machakos County took the second position after scooping four medals (two gold and two silver) while Mbukusho Karate Club from Nyeri took third position with one gold medal.

Magarini and Kanjuri Boys High School karate clubs from Kilifi and Nyeri counties respectively took the third position after getting a silver and a bronze medal apiece.

Other clubs that took at least a medal each included Nanyuki Karate Club from Laikipia (one silver), Kenya Utalii College (one bronze) and the Kenya Police Service (one bronze).

The Administration Police Service and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology karate clubs left empty-handed.

The event, which was the last in the 2022 calendar of the Kenya Karate Federation was sponsored by the County Government of Kilifi.

Speaking at the close of the championship, Kenya Karate Federation President Enos Muguku, lauded the government for funding the federation to participate in various international outings.

"The national karate team has made more international outings than any other team in the country thanks to government support and we believe the same will continue under the new regime," Muguku said.

He said funding stopped just before the August 9, 2022 General Election but added that he was hopeful the same would be available after a substantive principal secretary in the State Department of Sports is appointed.

Mukugu at the same time called for a review of the Sports Act to make it easier for clubs to hold elections and their officials to be registered without many hurdles as is currently the case.

Kilifi County Director of Sports, Boniface Kirimi said the county was committed to boosting tourism through sports and pledged to ensure that the county hosts next year's inter-county karate championships.

Kilifi County Karate Association's Technical Commissioner, Anderson Shilingi, called on government and nongovernmental organizations to sponsor sporting activities in the county in order to grow talent especially in martial arts.

Shilingi, a former coach of the national karate team, called for the building of sports facilities for both indoor and outdoor games, which he said were lacking in the county.

He said his association had been forced to borrow tatami mats used in karate since the sports centre, which he owns, does not have, and called on well wishers to fully furnish the centre to host national and international events.