Sensei Janien Potgieter never imagined herself wearing a seventh-degree black belt. But when that long-held dream became a reality at her grading in December, the moment left her overwhelmed with emotion.

A karateka of 37 years, Potgieter said the historic milestone was the culmination of decades of discipline, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the art. It was not simply a grading passed but a journey honoured – one built on persistence through adversity.

“I have been doing karate for 37 years, and every grading is more intense than the previous one. The nerves are real. The moment I entered the grading floor, I was in my own zone. It was just me and my preparation.

“The moment my result was announced, it was just tears of relief, happy tears. I have never thought of me being a seventh dan. To me, this recognition means years of dedication, sacrifices, personal growth, learning life skills, and most importantly, humbleness,” she said.

Reflecting on her early days in the dojo, Potgieter revealed that the obstacles she encountered played a crucial role in shaping her physical and mental resilience. With a few girls taking up karate at the time, she was often paired against boys, a challenge that forced her to adapt quickly and toughened her resolve.

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“Naturally, women are not as strong as men, so I always had to compete with them. I was a green belt, buddied up with a boy who was a red belt. He didn’t hold back, and I quickly learned sink or swim. I had to protect myself and fight back.

“Since then, I learned that if I want to make it in this male-dominant art, I will need to be strong, mentally and physically. Because not many ladies take up this art, it has always been me the only female with the males in gradings. As they had just as much as I had to grade for they never held back. That made me strong.”

Those formative experiences, she believes, laid the foundation for the strength and leadership she carries today.

The karateka first stepped inside a dojo as a 13-year old, grading to shodan in 1993. Her greatest influences in karate are her parents and New World Shotokan (NWS) SA senior international instructor, sensei John Barnett, who she has been learning from since first taking part in the sport.

A teacher since 2002, Potgieter explained that karate has influenced her positively, adding that she will use her status to grow women’s participation and leadership I karate.

“For the ladies, I hope I can be an inspiration to them so that they can see this is their own journey on their path. We as women don’t need to stand back for men. If women can play rugby, soccer, and cricket, which are also male-dominant, why not karate?” she asked.

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