Jasiri shine as Kenya rules 12th Mombasa Open Tong-Il-Moo-Do Championship

The Kenya Tong-Il-Moo-Do team, Jasiri, delivered a powerful statement on home ground, dominating the 12th edition of the Mombasa Open Tong-Il-Moo-Do International Martial Arts Championship held at the Aga Khan Academy Multi-Purpose Hall.

Jasiri’s medal charge began in style when Preston Mwakio clinched the team’s first gold medal in the Junior Male Sparring (14–17 years) final, defeating teammate Yusuf Ali, who settled for silver. Leon Trevor added to the tally with a bronze medal in the same category.

The dominance continued in the Junior Male Sparring (6–13 years) category, where Desmond Wekesa struck gold after overcoming fellow Jasiri fighter Daniel Masibayi, who claimed silver. Giovani Sifuna and Griffin Nyongesa further boosted Jasiri’s medal haul by picking up bronze medals after falling in their semi-final bouts.

In the Female Sparring (1–13 years) category, Kenya completed a clean sweep of the podium. Mwanashabani Bakari claimed gold, Naomi Chebet took silver, while Zahra Khamis secured the bronze medal.

Regional rivals also made their presence felt. Zambia’s Mustapha Ngwenye showcased his class by winning gold in the Male Fin Weight Division (54.9kg, 25–35 years), with Kenyans Evans Wambua and Shukurani Charo finishing second and third respectively.

Zambia continued their strong showing in the Male Lightweight Division (70–74.9kg, 18–24 years), where Mambali Kabik captured gold, John Mvuko Mbaji of Kenya took silver, and Isaac Kawanga of Zambia claimed bronze.

In categories where Jasiri had no representation, international athletes shone. Ruvy Lyn Alcosero of the Philippines won gold in the Women’s Sparring category, followed by Yusrallah Abdulraheem of Nigeria with silver, while Elrose Tumanda and Jinnefer Bertulfo, both from the Philippines, finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The Philippines also dominated the Men Sparring B category, with Jayson Orfiano Jr winning gold and John Charanzo taking silver, as Zambia’s Luckson Miti settled for bronze.

The Junior Female Sparring (14–17 years A) category saw India’s Erica Sequeira take gold, while Kenya’s Shelvine Musanga and Debra Osena proudly secured silver and bronze respectively.

Speaking after the tournament, Kenya Tong-Il-Moo-Do Federation President Master Clarence Mwakio hailed the championship as a major success despite several challenges.

“We had top-quality teams competing at this championship, and interest continues to grow every year. With clearer confirmation on hosting, we would have attracted even more countries to this year’s edition.”

“Technically, this year’s event was a success, but we faced several challenges behind the scenes. Funding arrived late and was insufficient, which affected key operational areas. We plan to engage the Cabinet Secretary for Sports to address these gaps, as hosting an international tournament of this scale requires strong commitment and adequate support”, Mwakio added.

The Philippines emerged as the main challengers but finished a distant second, collecting a total of 50 medals—23 gold, 10 silver, and 17 bronze.

Zambia secured third place with 23 medals, including five gold, four silver, and 14 bronze.

India finished fourth with four gold medals and one bronze, while South Korea placed fifth after winning three gold medals and one silver.