WALTER SISULU KARATEKAS STRIKE GOLD AT 2026 USSA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Displaying exceptional skill across multiple disciplines, the Walter Sisulu karate team amassed an impressive 32-medal haul, securing 8 gold, 10 silver and 14 bronze medals across the under-55kg, 65kg, 70kg and 80kg weight divisions to emerge as the overall champions at the 2026 University Sport South Africa (USSA) Karate Championships hosted by the University of the Western Cape recently.

Their success extended beyond combat events, with several athletes demonstrating the team's technical depth and versatility by also excelling in Kata, a traditional Japanese martial art that showcases precision, technique, balance and discipline through choreographed sequences.

The remarkable medal haul saw the 32-member Walter Sisulu squad crowned overall champions and successfully defend their Full Contact division title, reinforcing the university's standing as one of South Africa's premier university karate programs.

Final-year ICT student and team captain Kabelo Maluleke described winning the overall title as the culmination of months of sacrifice and unwavering commitment.

"Finishing first overall means everything to us because it reflects months of hard work, discipline and sacrifice. Winning the overall title was a special moment for the entire Walter Sisulu Karate Team. It is an honour to have led a team that not only became champions but also protected the legacy built by those who came before us," he said.

Walter Sisulu fielded competitors across all three Kata divisions, from the Development Kata (White to Blue Belt), Intermediate Kata (Yellow to Green Belt), to the Advanced Kata (Black Belt), highlighting the program's strength in nurturing talent from the novices to experienced black belts.

For Maluleke, the team's dominance was established long before the team stepped onto the competition mats at UWC. He explained that a rigorous selection process tested not only technical ability but also commitment, consistency and resilience.

"The selection camps were not easy. Some athletes struggled to attend because of academic commitments, but those who made it pushed one another to higher standards. By the end of the three selection camps, we had already challenged one another so much that, in many ways, we had become champions before arriving at the USSA Championships," he said.

Senior team member and second-degree black belt Lonwabo Mancoba, who is pursuing an Advanced Diploma in Public Management, credited the victory to the collective effort of athletes, coaches and support staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

He praised the technical and administrative personnel whose meticulous planning, expert coaching and unwavering support laid the foundation for the team's championship-winning campaign.

"As a Senpai (teacher), I've assisted in our daily trainings, mentally preparing my teammates not only physically but psychologically so that they'll be able to perform with fortitude under pressure," said Mancoba.

By Thando Cezula