Karate-Helene to fight at 10th World Open tournament |11 July 2011

His selection follows his involvement in the All-Africa Selection Tournament held on July 1 at the UCT Gymnasium in Cape Town, South Africa.

A team of three officials and three fighters from the Kyokushin karate school took part in the event to select the best fighters who will represent their country at the prestigious World Open Karate Tournament organised every four years in Japan.

The officials were Shihan Phillip Moustache 6thdan, Sensei Phillip Verghese 4th dan and Sensei Marie Lucy Sullivan 3rd dan, while the fighters were Sensei Jimmy Helene 3rd dan, Sempai Jimmy Padayachy 2nd dan and Steven Rosalie.

The All-Africa Selection Tournament was an open-weight category and all three Seychellois fighters faced South African opponents and lost. Rosalie lost by a waza-ari (half point) to the eventual winner, while Helene and Sempai Padayachy lost on a decision.

The top four fighters of the tournament automatically qualified for the world tournament and competitors from the other countries were selected based on their performance. Sensei Helene and two other fighters from neighboring Mauritius and Reunion were selected. 

Over 200 fighters from more than 125 countries are expected to fight in the three-day 10th World Open Tournament to be conducted under the International Karate Organisation (IKO) full contact rules.

Karatekas from the Kyokushin karate school are the only local fighters who have been competing in Japan every four years since 1987. Past fighters include Phillip Moustache, Gerald Toussaint, Alwyn Chan Lai Seng, Bernard Adeline, Flavien Alphonse and Freddy Dubois. This is the second time Sensei Helene will be fighting in the world tournament. 
 
The South African National Knock-down Tournament was held before the All-Africa Selection Tournament and the three Seychellois officials officiated at both events. One of only two IKO-certified referees in Africa, Shihan Moustache was the main referee for all the semifinals and finals.