Kenya hosts Kungfu tournament amid growing popularity of sport

Kungfu practitioners practice in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

NAIROBI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Saturday hosted a Kungfu tournament in the central Kenyan town of Kiambu located on the outskirts of capital Nairobi.

Ngaruiya Njonge, chairman of Kenya Kungfu Federation, said that 13 clubs and 70 competitors took part in the second edition of the Kenya Kungfu Championship which was sponsored by the Chinese embassy in Kenya.

"This tournament is a celebration of the rich and vibrant culture of Kungfu Wushu, a discipline that has captivated people around the globe," said Njonge.

He added that Kungfu began to be developed in Kenya in 2000 and currently, an estimated 3,000 Kenyans actively participate in the sport.

The first edition of the Kenya Kungfu Championship in 2021 helped create more interest in the sport locally, according to Njonge.

Tang Jianjun, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese embassy in Kenya, said that Wushu, a form of expression of traditional Chinese thought, has now emerged as an international sport covering 158 countries and regions across five continents.

"The International Olympic Committee has approved that Wushu will be included as an official sport in the fourth Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in 2026. I hope at that time, Kenyan Wushu players will stand on the youth Olympic stage and achieve good results, "said Tang.

Children practice freerunning tricks in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Children communicate with Kungfu teacher in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

A Kungfu practitioner practices in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

Kungfu practitioners wait to play at the second edition of the Kenya Kungfu Championship in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

Children demonstrate Kungfu pose in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

A Kungfu practitioner practices in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Children communicate with Kungfu teacher in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)

A Kungfu practitioner practices in Kiambu County near Nairobi, Kenya, May 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)