This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
On August 30, 2019, Kenya made a strong start at the World Martial Arts Tong-Il Moo-Do Masterships, securing four medals, including two golds.
The championship, held at the Korean National University of Transportation Amphitheater, saw new Kenyan names emerge in the martial arts scene with impressive performances.
Gordon Ochieng won the first gold for Kenya in the men's Super-weight (90+ kg) sparring category, defeating his opponent 3-2 in regulation time.
"I panicked in the first round as my opponent was extremely huge, but picked up confidence in the second round," Ochieng said.
"I thank God for the win. I had few hours to sleep as I strategised on the match. My gold was a motivation to other players and we hope for more medals on the second day," Ochieng added.
Lona Abiero secured the second gold for Kenya in the women's 65kg sparring category, defeating Thailand's Nattakarn Khamsopmpond 5-4.
Abiero started the match slowly, but rallied to dismiss her opponent with calculated throws, punches, and kicking techniques.
"I have showed the world my full potential. To be honest, I knew I would give my best in the match, which I did and my win goes to the over 40 million Kenyans back at home," Abiero said after the convincing victory.
"The handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House did the magic," Abiero added.
