Plett Karate Ace Ends Year on High Note

Plett Karate Ace Ends Year on High Note

Galliano Boni showing off his medal earned at the Goju Ryu World Championships in Folingo, Italy

The championships did not start well for Galliano. He was knocked out in the quarter-finals by fellow South African Sethu Sibiya. On Sunday, Galliano participated in the team divisions where South Africa emerged as world champions.

Young karate ace Galliano Boni ended an extremely successful year of competition on a high note in Italy over the past weekend and is heading home for some well-deserved rest.

The 12-year-old Greenwood Bay learner managed to rake in several more titles and medals in Italy where he represented South Africa at the Goju Ryu World Championships in Foligno from 8 to 11 September.

This after he won 10 medals just a few days earlier – eight of them gold – at the Great Britain Open Karate Championships in Birmingham, England.

These accomplishments came fresh off his dominant performances in the United States in July at the Iska World Martial Arts Championships in Orlando, Florida, where he did what no other South African has ever done before – he won two grand champion trophies.

This was followed by another great set of achievements at the WUFK World Championships in Fort Lauderdale a week later, including a further two world titles in kata and Kumite.

The youngster’s father, Roberto Boni, said the latest competition was a tough one and Galliano managed to remain calm and fight well.

“After four days of grueling and very tough competition, Galliano did not disappoint, winning a bronze medal in the individual kumite and gold in the team kumite divisions,” he said.

The championships did not start well for Galliano. He was knocked out in the quarter-finals by fellow South African Sethu Sibiya.

“Both boys executed amazing katas and had they not met in the quarter-finals they would have met in the finals. On the day, although beautifully executed, it wasn’t enough to beat a stronger and more technically difficult kata.

This was a huge disappointment for Galliano who was determined to medal in the kata category,” said Roberto.

After a couple of hours of reflection he “snapped out of it” and started preparing for the following day’s Kumite division.

“After three hard rounds beating the Romanian, German and Portuguese opponents he came up against Italy in the semi-finals. The fight was very close but the Italian, who was the eventual gold medallist, took the fight 3-1. Galliano took third place with a bronze medal.”

On Sunday, Galliano participated in the team divisions where South Africa emerged as world champions.

With this, Galliano finished the year representing South Africa with full Protea Colours and achieved two grand champion and five world titles, two silver, and two bronze medals.

Source: Knysnaplettherald