French Karate icon Christophe on Monday, April 25, instructed his first technical seminar in Rwanda in a colorful session that shaped the official opening of the International Kumite Technical Seminar going on in Kigali. Dubbed “Meet the Champion and Be Inspired”, the technical seminar brings together about two hundred participants varying from children to youth and adults. The multi-European Karate Champion arrived in the country on Monday, April 25, where he was invited by Japan Karate Association Rwanda (JKA-Rwanda), as an instructor at the weeklong seminar that will run until April 30. His opening Karate seminar held at Lycee de Kigali was attended by over 90 karatekas from different Karate categories and teams in the country. Pinna’s first Karate session was witnessed by French Ambassador to Rwanda Antoine Anfre and local Karate Federation president Theogene Uwayo, who also doubles as the president of the national Olympic Committee among other dignitaries. Speaking to the media, Pinna, who knows little about the state of the Karate sport in Rwanda, said he will be looking forward to sharing his technical experience with the Karatekas who will be attending the seminar. “It’s in human nature that people learn from others’ experience. I am happy to be here and the fact that I am world champion gives me the privilege to share my Karate experience with Rwandans, especially the technical aspect,” said Pinna. Guy Rurangayire, a former national team karate player and the brains behind the seminar, said having Pinna in Rwanda is a great opportunity that the whole Karate community can’t take for granted as he looks forward to seeing local karatekas benefiting a lot from the seminar. “These training sessions are different from other seminars previously held by Japanese Karate instructors because this one is more about techniques used in Karate competitions and it’s important that people know techniques used in the modern game,” Rurangayire said. “Pinna has won so many titles in his professional Karate career and we hope that the experience he’s going to share with us throughout this week will help our Karatekas, especially the young ones, in their careers,” he added.
