The Namibia Karate Federation (NKF) held its annual national championships at Walvis Bay this past weekend, welcoming over 300 competitors from seven karate-styles across the country.
Athletes of all ages participated, with the youngest being eight years old and the oldest nearing 50. The competition saw performances in both kata (movement discipline) and kumite (free-fighting), culminating in the crowning of new national champions across various categories.
“We are very happy with the quality of the tournament we hosted, We saw over 300 entries of students from across Namibia, and the support we received was outstanding,” says NKF acting president De Wet Moolman.
“Our referees and officials conducted themselves exceptionally well, most of them holding international qualifications. I believe we have some of the best officials in southern Africa.”
This year’s championship also highlighted the federation’s growing talent, particularly in the youth categories.
“We are excited about developing the youth, especially as Namibia is set to host the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games in 2025. The young champions here are hopefuls for a strong performance at these games,” says Moolman.
In the senior male category, Brandon-Lee Martin retained his grand champion title after winning gold in both kata and kumite.
Notably, Martin’s father, Leonard Martin, who won the title in the 1990s, had the honour of handing the trophy to his son. The female grand champion title remains vacant this year, as no athlete met the required criteria of winning gold in both disciplines.
Goju-Kai Namibia dominated the competition, securing a total of 91 medals, including 26 golds. Karate Zen followed with 36 medals, while the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation secured 19. Other prominent teams included Shotokan-JKA Namibia, Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Namibia, and the Namibia Karate Union.
Among the standout performances was Brandon-Lee Martin, who won gold in the senior male kata category, defeating Zaid Ely (Namibia Karate Union) who took silver, and Shane Maart (Karate Zen) and Keanu Stuurman (Shotokan-JKA Namibia), who shared the bronze. In the senior kumite male 84kg+ category, Wilhermo Johr (Karate Zen) clinched gold, with Warren de Jager (Karate Zen) taking silver.
In the senior female kumite U50kg+ U55Kg and U68kg+ category, Requelle Rickerts (Goju-Kai Namibia) claimed gold, while Cossandra Beuthin (International Okinawa) took silver, and Elizabeth Shikongo (Karate Zen) secured bronze.
“It’s been a great year for Namibian karate. The level of competition and officiating has been world-class, and we are a top contender on the subcontinent. Next year is going to be an exciting year for our athletes, especially with the youth games on the horizon,” notes Moolman, adding that the national championships have proven that Namibia is nurturing world-class karate talent, with hopes for further international recognition and success in the years to come.
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