GEORGE - Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate hosted its regional championship in George recently and was well supported with entries from Knysna, Karatara, Sedgefield, Oudtshoorn, Still Bay, Albertinia, Riversdal and George.

The tournament served as preparation for the Okinawa Goju Ryu national tournament that will be held in Oudtshoorn on 1 May as well as a warm up for those who will represent Africa at the world Goju Ryu tournament in Portugal later this year.
In the senior black belt division Jimmy Ferreira took honours followed by Willem Fouché with Anton Wells in third place, whereas Karin Fouché took gold in the ladies’ kata division. In the junior black belt kumite division Robert Reid took gold followed by Wiann le Grange and Stefan Gouws while the junior black belt kata for girls was won by Nina Reinach followed by Damian Belcher and Wilbur Grimsell.

Others to take gold from George were Luhann de Beer, Shecody Smalberger, Kyle Boorman, Dylan Hemphill, Leighton Prins, Calley Rothman, André van Tonder, Corné Calitz, Ewert Pretoruis as well as Charlotte Wagener, Ray Carstens, Daniel Bester from Oudtshoorn.

Gold medal winners from Sedgefield were Angelique Westraad, Luke Gauché and Santie Strydom.
First place winners from Parkdene were Eslin Jonck and Jonathan America whereas Nemo Roelofse (Riversdale) and Ben Hartzenberg and Jean-Pierre Pretorius from Albertinaia took bronze.
Chief referees were Senseis Buks Smit, Rocher le Grange and Hansie Strydom with Sensei Angelo Prins (5th dan) the tournament chief referee.


Winners of the senior contests are (from left) Christo Barnard, Wikus de Jager, Mark Goliath (George), Werner Kleynhans, Jean Ferreira (Sedgefield), Jonathan America (Parkdene), Ben Hartzenberg (Albertinia), Ruan Bennett (Sedgefield), Jimmy Ferreira, Anton Wells, Willem Fouche (George) and Johan du Plessis (Mossel Bay).