WINDHOEK - Team Namibia is hoping to put up a stellar performance at the 18th edition of the Region 5 Karate Federation Championships slated for the coastal town of Swakopmund at The Dome this weekend.

A group of karatekas that will represent Namibia at the competition has been hard at work, training for the past four months with the aim of improving their chances of scooping medals at the championships. Namibia is currently ranked third in the region. 

Host Namibia will this weekend welcome more than 400 participants from seven countries. Namibia will be represented by a strong contingent of about 64 karatekas, as team captain Michael Nakapandi promised to deliver fireworks.
‘’We are ready for our visitors coming from various countries we’ve been putting a lot of work for the past four months and we going to put up a good show and not disappoint our country,’’ said Nakapandi.

The group received their national colours for participation from the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) on Tuesday. NSC’s Chief Administrator Freddy Mwiya said it was an honour to accord the team national colours and praised their performance throughout the years. ‘’Your sport code have done tremendously in terms of performance and you are very fortunate that some of your athletes have gone as far as the world championships and junior African games, and please become number one that is the challenge we have given to you now,” he urged the team.

Ace Mutelo, the Secretary-General of the Namibia Karate Union (NKU), expressed excitement about the team’s chances and said the mood in the camp is high and the team is more than ready for the competition. 
“There has been a lot of team building that has been happening from the time we started preparing for this. We are all in good spirit and we have one goal and that is to win this championship,” said an upbeat Mutelo.