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Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate Namibia

Member of the Traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Federation

Closing off the year with successful grading celebrations!

30-Nov-2021

The year has once again proven to be a challenging one for OGKN as the Covid-19 pandemic continues and a vast part of the year having been spent on online virtual training. As always, one must adapt, ultimately leading to the June National Gradings being held on Zoom for the first time ever.

As 2021 rapidly comes to an end, OGKN had one more major event on it’s yearly program, the annual November National Gradings. Thankfully, with regulations having loosened towards the end of the year, the National Grading could now once again be hosted in-person, and took place this past weekend on the 26th and 27th of November.

Junior Nghituwamata, all smiles after passing his grading on Saturday and moving his name up on the Wall of Fame!

A total of 97 students tested for their next belt/stripe over the two day period, whilst being carefully watched by Goju-Ryu Namibia’s most senior black belts from the various dojos in Windhoek.

In addition to the grading ceremony that was held at the end of each grading group, annual best attendance awards were handed out for each class and dojo.

Congratulations to the following students for having the best attendance in 2021:

Honbu Dojo Junior Children’s Class

1st Place – Steven Bishop

2nd Place – Tangeni Kalushu

3rd Place – Eben Benade

Honbu Dojo Advanced Children’s Class

1st Place – Jason Collard

2nd Place – Penda Atshipara

2nd Place – Tuwilika Kanandjembo

3rd Place – Ian Pretorius

Honbu Dojo Intermediate Class

1st Place – Jaden Kumire

2nd Place – Kupakwashe Nyandoro

3rd Place – Dennis Stephansen

Honbu Dojo Senior Class

1st Place – René Bader

2nd Place –Reino Hasheela

2nd Place – Darryl Musvamiri

3rd Place – Prince-William Shalimba

3rd Place – Andre Viljoen

Shinto Dojo Children’s Class

1st Place – Mahdiyar Sabouri

2nd Place – Monique Jordaan

3rd Place – Michael Baumann

Shinto Dojo Adults Class

1st Place – Laeya Carstens

2nd Place – Tamsyn Ashleigh Main

3rd Place – Daria Burger

Best Attendance Award Winners 2025 - Honbu Dojo

Children Beginners & Junior Class

First Place:
Elifas Matheus

Second Place:
Lucresia Naris
Joel Undji

Third Place:
Anotidaishe Chiripai

Children Advanced Class

First Place:
Ethan Collard

Second Place:
Margaret Flavianu

Third Place:
Megan Kumire
Baeti Muyandulwa
Triti Nair

Adult/Teen Beginners & Intermediate Class

First Place:
Thikameni Inkumbi

Second Place:
Liam Alcock

Third Place:
Steven Bishop
Nathan Tuneeko

Adult/Teen Senior Class

First Place:
Jason Collard

Second Place:
Carli du Plessis

Third Place:
Lumé Karsten

Best Attendance Award Winners 2025 - Shinto Dojo

Beginner Children’s Class

First Place:
Micah Ndyenge

Second Place:
Aiden Masters

Third Place:
Francois De Klerk

Intermediate Children’s Class

First Place:
Cene Viljoen

Second Place:
Connor Bandlow

Third Place:
Paul Thomas Andrew Cocklin

Advanced Children’s Class

First Place:
Laeya Carstens

Second Place:
Thomas Wood

Third Place:
Patrick Leuschner

Adult Class

First Place:
Eli Wood

Second Place:
Wendy Bonitz
Farai Penduka

Third Place:
Daria Burger

A heartfelt thank you goes to all instructors, families, and supporters who contributed to a successful grading.