The Lenasia South Shotokan Karate Academy recently participated in the prestigious Martial Arts Challenge at Trade Route Mall, hosted by Shihan Mohan Hira from the Funakoshi World Authority Martial Arts Organisation.
This event, held on July 27, brought together around 200 karate competitors from Bloemfontein, Mafikeng, Rustenburg, and various parts of Gauteng.
The students from the Lenasia South dojo once again demonstrated their exceptional skills, with every participant proudly walking away with medals. Sensei Ashok, the Chief Instructor, expressed his pride in the hard work and dedication of his students, which led to their remarkable achievements.
Looking ahead, the dojo’s next challenge is the ISKF Nationals, scheduled for 31 August in Gezina, Pretoria.
Here, the students will compete against others from across the country, with a team being selected for the ISKF World Championships.
During the Martial Arts Challenge, Sensei Ashok was honoured with a Certificate of Appreciation by Shihan Mohan Hira, a pioneer in the karate community of Lenasia and surrounding areas. Sensei Ashok gratefully accepted the award, thanking Shihan Hira for his significant contributions to the martial arts fraternity. In addition to his karate instruction, Sensei Ashok expressed concern over the rising violent behavior among schoolchildren, including incidents of bullying and fighting. In response, he has joined forces with Fred Norman High in Ennerdale to combat school bullying. He has introduced karate classes to empower students to handle such situations more effectively.
He encourages parents to get involved and introduce their children to sports, whether it’s karate, boxing, or other martial arts, highlighting the benefits of karate, including self-defense, improved fitness, muscle tone, stress relief, increased self-confidence, and discipline.
For more information, Sensei Ashok can be contacted at 082 797 4396, or you can visit the dojos at the Lenasia South Civic or Ennerdale Civic Centre in Ext1. Lenasia South classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursday from 6 to 7pm and in Ennerdale on Mondays and Wednesdays between 6 and 7pm.
