Kenya step up preps for African Karate Champs

Kenya is set to send a strong 29-member contingent to the eighth Cadet, 16th Junior and 23rd Senior African Karate Championship scheduled to take place from July 22 to 27 in Abuja, Nigeria.

The event is not only a continental showdown but also a World Karate Federation (WKF) ranking tournament, making it a crucial step for Team Kenya’s ambitions of climbing the global karate rankings.

The championship will also serve as a qualifier for the World Championships in Cairo and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.

According to Kenya Karate Federation Secretary General Charles Gikonyo, the team is ready to showcase their talent and represent the country with pride.

“We are fielding a competitive team that we believe will make the country proud. Being a ranking tournament, we expect our athletes to have a strong run. The results here will determine who qualifies for the world championship,” said Gikonyo.

Team captain Francis Amokoi, who will lead both junior and senior players across various weight categories, expressed confidence in the squad’s preparation.

 “We started training in May and have pushed each other to get the best out of ourselves. It’s a new team, but we’re committed to proving ourselves by beating the best,” said Amokoi.

Amokoi added that though they have had good preparations, the team faced some challenges during training.

“Our players are drawn from different regions across the country, and that made it difficult for everyone to be in the city at all times.

“As a result, some players missed training sessions. Despite that, the team is united and focused. We maximized the time we had.” he added.

The team was selected in March 2025.