The event was held over the weekend at the UB Indoor Sports Arena. Kao Nsala, who was part of the men’s karate senior team at the 2024 African Games, won the Under-21 kata after perfect execution of Anan, which is a traditional method of recording a sequence of movements for offence and defence. The second position was claimed by Atang Motsewakhumo while Martin Motseke settled for the third spot. Lesego Masimola is the women’s individual kata champion. She was a member of the women’s kata team that brought a bronze medal from the 2024 African Games in Ghana. Charline Magalie finished second, taking home a silver medal and the bronze medal was shared by Shadica Cortzee and Thata Ngwanamotsoko.
Despite a tough competition at the African Games, Gofaone Quinton Mosupiemang redeemed himself by winning the men’s kumite +67kg with Johannes Gustavo settling for second position and the third spot was shared by Kenny Sempipeng and Mabikwa Otsile. Speaking to SportMonitor, Nsala said compared to other athletes, he had less time to prepare for the tournament because he was nursing his shoulder injury that he picked during the Africa Games held in March. “Nonetheless, I used the best of the little time I had to prepare for the Gabs Open tournament after completing my physiotherapy sessions in mid-April. The competition was tough because my opponents know my strength. I have competed with them before, I had to come up with a different strategy this time in order to pick the gold,” he said. The Gabs Open championships are an annual flagship event for Hayashi-Ha Karate.
For his part, a member of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Ofentse Bakwadi, said it has been hectic planning for the event because they had to change the venue from Boipuso hall to the UB Indoor Sports Arena. Bakwadi said the aim of the tournament is to get more Southern African countries taking part in it and giving more athletes in Botswana an opportunity to compete with them. He said it is expensive for many karatekas in Botswana to travel outside the country for competition. He said they had athletes coming in from South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe with 32 clubs and over 700 entries being confirmed. Regarding the absence of some of the local clubs, Bakwadi explained that he was not aware of the reasons behind not showing up, although as hosts they did some things late. “The tournament was a success, growing each year because we had a lot of sponsors coming on board, with some coming at the last minute.
Some of the main sponsors included First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB), Sefalana Holdings and Clover Botswana,” he said. Other results: Senior men team kumite: SSKB Champions karate club (gold), University of Zimbabwe (silver) and UB Karate club and Thebe Club Francistown (bronze). Men Under 67kg: Omaatla Alfred (gold), Gabriel Molefhe (silver). Kenny Sempipeng and Mabikwa Otsile (bronze). Senior women open kumite: Kangare Brenda (gold), Makgale Tshepo (silver). Chidza Dziva and Thata Ngwanamotsko (bronze). Cadet boys: Mogaka Norweb (gold), Setso Otule (silver) and Game Moshashane (bronze).
