The Kenya Karate national team delivered a strong performance, securing an impressive ninth place out of 23 countries at the recently concluded Commonwealth Karate Championships at the Olive Convention Center in Durban, South Africa.
The team accumulated 13 medals, including 10 bronze and 3 silver.
James Gikonyo, the Secretary General of the Kenya Karate Federation, commended the team for their efforts and highlighted the promising future of Kenyan karate.
Kenya’s last international competition was at the World Karate Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in October 2023, where the team returned without any medals.
Among the medalists, Kenya’s female kumite competitors performed admirably. Rose Wanjiku and Georgina Kanini both earned bronze in the Individual Female Kumite at 55kg, while Esther Katunge (61kg), Fatma Mohammed (66kg), and Joyce Juma (68kg) also claimed bronze. Joyce Juma was the only female to secure a silver medal in her category.

In the male kumite category, John Thuo (60kg) won a silver medal, while Eugine Obunde (84kg) and Stephen Wesonga (Veterans category) took home bronze medals. David Kimani narrowly missed out on a gold, settling for silver in the Veterans Kata Individual event. Joyce Juma, Esther Katunge, Rose Wanjiku, and Georgina Kanini also earned bronze in the Team Kumite category.
The women’s Team Kata event saw Joyce Juma, Esther Katunge, Rose Wanjiku, and Mercy Wambui win bronze, while in the men’s category, Daniel Vaati, Bernard Kihachu, Julias Muya, and James Gikonyo also secured bronze medals.

Looking ahead, the focus now shifts to 2025, when Kenya is set to compete in the Karate 1 Series A, Karate 1 Youth League, and the UFAK African Championship, with dates to be confirmed by the Kenya Karate Federation.