Kenya-Ethiopia rivalry takes center stage as UFAK East Championships end

The result carried added weight after Ethiopia had earlier eliminated Kenya A in the semifinals, setting up a highly charged showdown between the regional rivals.

The victory also marked redemption for Ngati, who reflected on his earlier setback in Ethiopia.

“I’m so happy, especially with the Kata victory, because last time in Ethiopia I lost it. I have been training and aiming to get it, and it is my joy that I have made right what went wrong in Ethiopia,” said Ngati.

The rivalry continued in the cadet categories, where Ethiopia’s Etsubdick Belay defeated Kenya’s Loley Wambui in the Cadet Kata final, before Wambui responded with a commanding 5-1 victory in the Cadet Open Weight Kumite final.

Ethiopia also picked up gold through Tsagagazeab Gosa, who defeated Kenya’s Januaries Wambua 5-2 in the Male Cadet 52kg Kumite category after controlling much of the contest with precise and disciplined attacking.

Kenya, however, maintained a strong overall showing across multiple divisions. Georgina Kanini delivered one of the standout performances of the championships, winning double gold in the Female Senior Individual Kata and Female Senior Kumite 61kg. In comparison, Flavian Kemunto dominated the Female Junior 59kg Kumite division with a commanding final victory.

Other nations also made their mark on the medal table. Uganda’s Hidhir Ndikumana claimed gold in the Male Senior 67kg Kumite after edging Ethiopia 4-3 in a tightly contested final, while Madagascar’s Revaconarivo Andhy secured victory in the Female Senior 55kg Kumite category.

As the championships came to a close, the repeated Kenya–Ethiopia showdowns defined the tone of the tournament, with both nations trading victories across multiple categories and pushing each other to the edge in a display that highlighted their growing dominance in East African karate.