Eight young karateka from Bloemfontein excelled at the recent Martial Arts South Africa (MASA) national championship in Pretoria, bringing home a total of 16 medals. The learners, all from Seijin Karate Club in the city, were awarded MASA Free State colours. Four senior students from the club also participated, adding another 16 medals to bring Seijin’s tally to 32 medals. MASA is recognised by SASCOC as the official governing body for non-Olympic martial arts in South Africa.

“This is an outstanding milestone for our club and especially for our young karateka. They practice long hours while having to balance school work and other extra-curricular responsibilities,” says chief instructor Sensei Richard Lawrence (4^th Dan). Students at Seijin Karate Club practice traditional Shorin-Ryu karate and kobudo. “Shorin-Ryu karate is one of the oldest traditional styles of Okinawan karate. It also includes kobudo, which is training with traditional Okinawan weapons,” explains Lawrence.

At the MASA national championship, the Seijin karateka participated in a range of categories, including traditional forms (kata) and traditional weapons (forms), continuous and points sparring, combat weapons sparring and traditional kumite.

Lawrence led by example, winning two gold, three silver and one bronze medal. Jamal Nzume (12), a learner at Christian Brothers’ College Bloemfontein was the club’s junior top achiever with three gold, one silver and one bronze medal. His sister, Lalita (11), from Kruitberg Primary School, brought home a silver medal. Both have level one purple belts.

Retsepile Tladi (15), a junior black belt from Eunice High School, won one gold and one silver medal, while Eunice Primary learner Naledi Lefu (10; orange belt) got one silver and bronze. Naledi’s brother, Lesedi (12; orange belt), a learner at Grey College Primary, added another two silver medals to the Lefu family’s display cabinet.

Jayden Pagel (11; level one brown belt), also from Grey College Primary, won silver and bronze. Jayden’s parents also participated. Mom Meriska (blue belt) brought home two gold and two bronze medals. His dad, Sensei Wesley Pagel (1^st Dan), added one silver and two bronze to the family’s medal haul.

  Liané Janse van Vuuren (10; level one purple belt), learner at Primêre Meisieskool Oranje, and Rea Tlale (9; orange belt) from Curro Bloemfontein each won bronze. The club’s other senior participant was Sensei Hennie Geldenhuis (1^st Dan), with three bronze medals

  Lawrence says the students represented both the club and the province with honour. “At Seijin we have a strong focus on family. We value dedication, discipline, respect, focus and excellence. Medals are worth nothing without values. For me, the big win was to see how the students embodied these values at the championship.”

PHOTO: Karateka from Seijin Karate Club who were awarded MASA Free State colours are, from left to right, front: Naledi Lefu (Eunice Primary), Lesedi Lefu (Grey College Primary), and Rea Tlale (Curro Bloemfontein); middle: Lalita Nzume (Kruitberg Primary), Retsepile Tladi (Eunice High), Jayden Pagel (Grey College Primary), and Liané Janse van Vuuren (Oranje Primêr); back: Jamal Nzume (CBC Bloemfontein), Sensei Wesley Pagel, Sensei Hennie Geldenhuis, Sensei Richard Lawrence, and Meriska Pagel.