Kamogenge - the man who hates to lose

Thato Kala | Friday December 13, 2013 16:20

This is despite the fact that the 20-year-old’s ascent to stardom has been made relatively smooth because of good role models around him.  He trains with the seasoned Viki Majama while Zamani Makhulela, a female karateka, is his aunt.

Majama has enjoyed a lot of success in the sport, winning two gold medals at two successive Commonwealth Games. He has also won gold at zonal level and stands out as an inspiration to the youngster. 

His teenage admirer, Kamogenge, says his willingness to share his skills has been beneficial for him.  “Viki is one man I consider an inspiration to me and I’m privileged because I train with him,” Kamogenge told Mmegi Sport.

He attributes his inclination to karate to his aunt, Makhulela, one of the most successful women in the sport. “I used to see her train and developed interest,” he said. 

Kamogenge got a black belt first dan in April 2012 and is now targeting fifth dan.  “I know it’s going to take a lot of work, but I’m ready to work towards getting it,” he said.

Although he attributes much of his success to Majama and Makhulela’s mentorship, he stresses that his hatred of losing pushed him to work hard.

One of the losses he wants to quickly forget was in a tournament in Durban, South Africa in August this year.

He lost to a French karateka, who clearly had more exposure than him.

But that was not consolation for the Limkokwing University College student.

He believes more international exposure for local karatekas would take them far.

“Training camps should be held regularly and we should be sent to High Performance Centres where we will meet experienced international coaches and good facilities and training with great karatekas. That is important,” he said. His interaction with karatekas from other countries showed him that most of them are professionals.

If Kamogenge he had his way, he would abandon his course in creative multimedia studies to pursue karate as a career though he is aware the local set-up does not allow this.

“I noticed we were playing against people who live karate. All they do every day is karate. I would really love to wake up every morning just to go and train,” he said.

His much-loved sport almost cost him an eye during a fight early this year. Ironically, his most memorable win came a few weeks after he almost lost an eye. “It was in last year’s JKA Open Championship when I beat Thabang Lesole. It was a fight I gave my all since I was from an eye injury that almost made me stop my karate career,” Kamogenge said.

The rivalry between the two is legendary in karate circles. Kamogenge admits that Lesole is his toughest opponent in the country.

He said his karate fling took off to a good start when he won silver at the 2001 Kofukan Schools and Club Championship in Palapye.

“It was my first tournament and that really inspired me to stay on,” Kamogenge said.

While he has enjoyed success in karate, he has had a few folly moments. In the most recent case he said they were in camp when he walked into the girls’ section applying hair mosturiser in to his hands thinking it was lotion.

“They had a good laugh,” he said. He believes there is a lot of unexploited talent in schools and challenges clubs and the association to draw up programmes that will ensure potential karatekas are developed.

He dreams of following surpassing Majama in excelling at international tournaments.