Nihon Karate Kyokai (NKK) Botswana has dispatched its national team to Mauritius for the Indo-Pacific Cup 2026, with the squad targeting strong performances and valuable international experience at the week-long tournament running from 21 to 27 September.

The team was officially sent off in Gaborone on Friday by Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Nelson Ramaotwana, who urged the karatekas to represent Botswana with discipline and integrity on and off the tatami.

Ramaotwana said karate was about more than competition, describing it as a vehicle for values such as respect, self-control and focus.

The Mauritius tournament will provide Botswana’s athletes with an opportunity to test themselves against competitors from across the Indo-Pacific region and assess their progress on the international stage.

The competition will be preceded by an intensive training programme led by senior instructors from Japan, offering athletes exposure to some of the sport’s most experienced practitioners.

For NKK Botswana chief instructor Sensei Dr. Keone Kgorotlhe, the trip marks the culmination of months of preparation.

“We have put in long, grueling hours of training on the tatami, but the team has thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the preparation. This journey has brought us closer, and we are ready,” he said.

Kgorotlhe said the team’s ambitions extended beyond medal success, with the delegation also seeking to strengthen the development of Shotokan karate in Botswana.

“The team is heading out not just to hunt for medals, but to grow and elevate Shotokan karate back home,” he said.

The competition will be preceded by an intensive training programme led by senior instructors from Japan, offering athletes exposure to some of the sport’s most experienced practitioners.