APR Karate-Do dominate 2026 Zanshin Karate Championships (Photos)

APR Karate-Do emerged the fourth edition of the Zanshin Karate Championship for Children, Cadets and Juniors and the third edition of the Zanshin Seniors Open Karate Championship, held at Petit Stade in Kigali from August 7-9.

The 2026 competition brought together 568 athletes — 377 men and 191 women — from 46 clubs, including competitors from Rwanda and neighbouring Kenya.

This edition featured competition in both Kata, which tests technical form and precision, and Kumite, the combat discipline of karate.

APR Karate-Do topped the overall gold-medal standings with eight gold medals, followed by Flying Eagles Karate Club with six and Unity Karate Academy with three.

The championships have grown into an important annual platform for developing young karate talent and providing senior athletes with high-level competition.

The event was organised by Zanshin Sport Solutions in collaboration with the Rwanda Karate Federation (FERWAKA).

The tournament began with the youth edition in 2023, when Zanshin Karate Academy staged the competition in Huye.

Flying Eagles Karate Club won the inaugural youth championship after collecting five gold medals among 12 medals.

The senior competition was also introduced in 2024, with The Great Warriors Karate Academy winning the inaugural Zanshin Seniors Open after collecting seven medals, including five golds.

The competition attracted 12 clubs from Rwanda and Kenya.

In 2025, the senior tournament expanded further, with APR Karate-Do claiming the title after winning six gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

The youth edition was subsequently won by Flying Eagles, who collected 13 medals, including six golds, two silvers and five bronzes.

Among the senior winners were APR’s Niyonkuru Sidike in men’s Kata, Uwase Razia in women’s Kata, Ndutiye Shyaka Mike in men’s under-60kg Kumite, Uwineza Alliance in women’s under-61kg, Ntwali Fiston in men’s under-67kg, Niyitanga Harifa in men’s under-75kg and Kagimbi Paul in men’s over-75kg.

Flying Eagles also produced several individual champions, including Impayimpundu Kessia in girls’ under-14 Kata and Kumite and Irakoze Aline in junior women's Kata and Kumite.

The tournament’s broad age structure — from under-8 competitors to senior athletes aged 18 and above — reflects its role as both a competitive event and a development pathway.

With participation growing across successive editions, the Zanshin championships are becoming a significant fixture on Rwanda’s karate calendar, giving emerging athletes valuable competitive experience while providing established competitors with an international platform.

Photos