The mats were on fire at the weekend as young karatekas lit up the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games – karate, held in Windhoek, Namibia. 

From sharp kata routines to thrilling kumite clashes, junior athletes from across Southern Africa gave stellar performances, proudly representing their nations with skill and heart.

South Africa emerged the dominant force, particularly in kata and kumite, thanks to standout performances by Nyska Jagasur and Aleksandros Kosmas. 

Jagasur clinched gold in the female individual kata and silver in kumite (-59kg), while Kosmas delivered double gold in male individual kata and kumite (+76kg).

Botswana also impressed, especially in team kata and kumite, with strong contributions from Resego Sesenyi and James Chika Chika. Sesenyi bagged medals in both kata and kumite divisions, further underlining her rising star status.

Other nations including Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, and Malawi also made their presence felt, securing podium finishes across various categories. Melba Francisco of Angola particularly shone, winning gold in female kumite (-53kg), adding to the weekend’s list of remarkable performances.