Karati Satori’s Aiden Jackson, 22, from Westgate, the current Karate South Africa (KSA) sportsman-of-the year, produced an impressive third-place finish, at the Union des Fédération Africanes de Karaté (UFAK) or African Karate Federation championships, at the Olive Convention Centre, in Durban, at the weekend. The who’s who of karate on the continent took part in the championships with Egypt topping the table with 32 medals, including 19 gold, followed by Morocco on 22 and Algeria in third place with 21 medals. South Africa finished sixth overall with three silver and 19 bronze medals.
Jackson and the rest of the SA team faced off against stiff competition from Tunisia, whom he says, has some of the best fighters on the continent. Ultimately he came away with a bronze medal in the senior male kumite 75kg division.
“It was one of my toughest competitions I have competed in,” he said. “I am also the only senior male competitor from South Africa to win a medal. It really means a lot to me because like I said, we were competing against the best in the world,” he said.
