Luanda: The African Zone 5 Karate Championship commenced this morning at the Cidadela Sports pavilion in Luanda, featuring individual kata events in both junior and senior categories. The championship will continue until Saturday, with cadet kumite fights scheduled for the afternoon. According to Angola Press News Agency, the event's official opening ceremony is set for the afternoon and will gather more than 350 athletes from countries in the southern region of the continent. Key participants include competitors from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. The Angolan National Team is competing with the goal of securing the title, having finished in second place and earning a silver medal in the 2025 edition held in South Africa. This objective was recently reiterated by Giliano André, president of the Angolan Karate Federation (FAK). Angola, currently ranked third in Africa, has entered 122 athletes in the competition, spanning categories from children to seniors and comprising both male and female participants. This number represents the largest contingent at the event, followed by South Africa with 80 athletes and Namibia with about 75.