Fifteen-year-old PJ Olivier pupil and junior black belt karateka, Johan Slabbert, was recently awarded full school colours for karate.
Slabbert began his karate training with Gary Grapentin (5th dan) at the Kenton-on-Sea Karate Academy in 2002.
During this time, Slabbert has competed in a number of provincial and national championships.
Fifteen-year-old PJ Olivier pupil and junior black belt karateka, Johan Slabbert, was recently awarded full school colours for karate.
Slabbert began his karate training with Gary Grapentin (5th dan) at the Kenton-on-Sea Karate Academy in 2002.
During this time, Slabbert has competed in a number of provincial and national championships.
He has also previously represented the Eastern Province All-Styles Karate Team and the South African Shotokan Karate Academy (Saska) East Coast team, as well as the Saska national team.
This year Slabbert was selected to represent the Nelson Mandela Bay Karate Association all-styles team at the Karate South Africa National Championships in Uitenhage, in June.
Although Slabbert did not place in the top three in his category, he gave a good account of himself by winning a number of bouts.
Slabbert also recently placed second in kumite (fighting) at the Saska East Coast Karate Open Championships at the Fish River Sun Hotel. The championship attracted more than 300 hundred competitors from 20 Eastern Cape karate clubs.
Slabbert will also be competing at the Saska National Karate Championships in October.
Apart from focusing on gaining selection for the Nelson Mandela Bay Karate Association team once again in 2012, Slabbert will also be preparing for his shodan grading (1st dan black belt).
The grading will be conducted by Koos Burger (8th dan black belt), one of South Africa's leading karate masters, and will take place early next year.
