Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • GM Direct publishing break
  • “Makhanda is in shambles,” says Ward Four resident
  • Ward Two residents buy own floodlights to combat cable theft
  • A town without a playground: where do the children play?
  • Women, Politics, Power, Patriachy: A feminist lens
  • Makhanda’s Links Royal House Gaokx’aob (Chief) has died
  • What’s On – 30 March – 6 April
  • Unapologetically queer and Black consciousness approach to live performance
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»SPORT»News»Singata makes SA history in Scotland
News

Singata makes SA history in Scotland

Grocott's Mail ContributorsBy Grocott's Mail ContributorsJune 19, 2018Updated:June 21, 2018No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
The South African Karate Team that travelled to Scotland to compete at the WUKF World Karate Championships. From left to right: Lutho Singata, Luke Claassens, Kayle Olivier, Thembi Kuhlane and Linde Delport. Photo: Supplied

A five member karate team from the Eastern Cape recently concluded their campaign at the 7th WUKF World Karate Championships held in Dundee, Scotland. The United Shotokan-Ryu (USR) team members competed under the banner of the South African National Shotokan Association (SANSA) at the prestigious Championship.

This was the first time that any of the team members had competed in an international event. More than 2200 karateka representing 40 countries contested this year’s event which was held over four days. The categories were extremely competitive with the Championship largely dominated by the European nations. The only exception to this was the USA’s AAU which finished in second position overall. The strong Romanian Team topped the medals table.

In kata (forms), Luke Claassens (Kingswood College), Thembi Kuhlane and Kayle Olivier (both Victoria Girls High School, Grahamstown) all reached the second round of their respective categories, while Lutho Singata (Rhodes University) reached the final six in the Junior Men’s Shotokan Kata category.

Both Claassens and Kuhlane advanced to the second round of their kumite (fighting) categories before losing their matches. Olivier, who was ahead on points during her first round fight, was unfortunately disqualified due to excessive contact. Linde Delport (NMMU) fell-out in the first round against some incredibly strong opposition.

Singata advanced to the finals (final four competitors) in both the Junior (18-20yrs) and Senior Men’s (21-35yrs) under 65kg Kumite Categories. In his final matches, he lost both by the narrowest of margins, but still did exceptionally well to bring home two bronze medals. According to United Shotokan-Ryu Chairperson, Gary Grapentin, Singata is the only South African to ever contest three finals at a single WUKF World Championship. In addition, Grapentin believes that he is also the first South African to ever medal in a senior men’s kumite category at the WUKF World Championship.

Leading-up to the Championship, the team members also had the opportunity to attend a seminar conducted by UK Karate legend, George Best (not to be confused with the Northern Irish footballer of the same name). Grapentin hopes to bring Best out to South Africa in the future in order to assist with preparations for the next WUKF World Championship which will be held in Belarus in 2020.

All the team members who competed in Scotland are expected to participate in the Sunshine Coast Karate Open Championships which will be held at the Fish River Resort on the 4th of August.

The South African Karate Team that travelled to Scotland to compete at the WUKF World Karate Championships. From left to right: Lutho Singata, Luke Claassens, Kayle Olivier, Linde Delport and Thembi Kuhlane.
Photo: Supplied
Lutho Singata (Right) on the podium, collecting his bronze medal.
Photo: Supplied
Previous ArticleCandle of hope is alive and well
Next Article Rotary challenges thinkers to help solve city problems
Grocott's Mail Contributors

Grocott's Mail Contributors includes content submitted by members of the public, and public and private institutions and organisations - regular and occasional, expert and citizen, opinion and analysis.

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.