Injury scare for karate junior team

Shingirai Madondo | Friday February 14, 2014 15:23

According to the junior team’s head coach, George Tshikare, 16-year-old Snaice dislocated her left arm in training. In a telephone interview with Mmegi Sport this week, Tshikare said the training camp for the young karatekas had been progressing well except for Snaice who got injured during a workout.  

“It (training) has (been) going well. But one athlete got injured,” said a devastated Tshikare.

He described the development as a slight setback to the training camp that has been progressing well since the beginning of this year. “It (the injury) looked bad. We are still waiting for the doctor’s results on the severity of the dislocated left arm,” Tshikare said.   Wame, a team kata member, is viewed as a crucial at the Games to be staged in Gaborone in a couple of months. “She is an experienced athlete. We are hoping that she will heal soon such that she participates at the games in May,” said a hopeful Tshikare.

Team manager Ezekiel Seru said the severity of the injury was still to be ascertained.  “The belief is that she pulled her arm muscle. But I am not in a position to say whether the injury was severe or not. We are still waiting for the doctor’s final decision,” added Seru.

Snaice, who joined the karate national team the tender age of seven has vast experience and is expected to hoist the country’s flag during the youth games.

In 2012 Snaice was the only girl out of three athletes who attended a one-week training camp in Greece. The World Karate Federation (WKF) sponsored the training camp.