Sporting highlights

For kicks: Thabiso Nkile (second left) with rival competitors in a more friendly mood at the All Africa University Games in Uganda.

UCT karate chart-topper Thabiso Nkile has enjoyed an industrious couple of weeks.

Early in July, he won gold representing UCT in the 65kg individual kumite seniors at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) champs in Potchefstroom, where UCT finished fourth overall.

He then jumped on a plane to Uganda, where more than 20 countries - including powerhouses Algeria and Egypt - vied for honours at the All Africa University Games, from 6-17 July.

Fighting for both the Botswana Universities Team and UCT, Nkile picked up no less than three gold medals (for individual kumite, individual kata and team kata), and a bronze (team kumite).

He was also voted best male karate fighter of the tournament. Nkile's banner event for next year is the World Student Games in Serbia, where he hopes to get a few podium finishes as well.

He'll have plenty of match practice before then - there's the World Karate Championships in Japan in November this year, plus a score of provincial, national and continental championships.