A fourth-year Walter Sisulu University Physics student kicked, punched and chopped his way to capturing a prestigious international karate title in Russia last week.

Karateka Anele Madlala, 23, beat his Russian opponent Andrei Kizov in front of a partisan home crowd to clinch the World Fighting Kyokushin Organization Grand Prix tournament on 12 October in the Russian town of Suzdal.

“The fight was a very tough one. Kizov is a very hard man to fight – he is strong physically, with a strong
will to win and an even stronger heart,” said Madlala.

Originally from Harding in KwaZulu-Natal, Madlala has been learning and practicing the Japanese martial arts form since 2005, at the age of nine.

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