By Isaac Akugizibwe

Just days after showcasing their martial arts skills at the university's inter-faculty games, the KIU Karate team went on to claim victory at the 2024 National Karate Championship, the first event organized by the Uganda National Karate Federation in four years. The championship took place on October 26th, 2024, at the MTN Indoor Arena in Lugogo.

The event attracted 107 athletes across both male and female categories from 12 clubs, including two universities KIU and Ndejje. The two karate powerhouses once again competed head-to-head, with KIU claiming the top spot in the men’s contest while Ndejje took gold in the women’s category, where KIU finished second.

Florence Niyigema from KIU was named the Most Valuable Female Player (MVP) for her outstanding performance, while Charles Onoria from Olympia earned the Male MVP title after winning gold in the 75 kg category.

KIU Karate Team Coach Patrick expressed pride in his team’s work ethic and dedication to excellence. "It’s truly amazing, and as the KIU karate coach, it’s an honor and a privilege to coach such a talented group," he remarked post-tournament.

This victory is a crucial step for the team as they prepare for the upcoming East African University Games in December in Kenya.

"This victory is very important for us. I’ve been able to assess my players' skills at a national level. Now, the focus will shift to how we can perform even better in the East African games," Coach Patrick emphasized.

This triumph further solidifies KIU’s dominance in karate, especially in the men’s category, as they were also the overall winners at the 2023 University Games held at Uganda Christian University (UCU) in Mukono last December.