Paulshof kendo artist shares how she got into the sport
Sixteen-year-old Divana Aura Naidoo has been involved in the sport of kendo for a number of years, and has high hopes to make a junior national side.
A young kendo artist has continued to make a name for herself in the sport and has no plans of slowing down.
A member of the Ryu Ken Chi dojo based in Paulshof, Divana Aura Naidoo (16) was introduced to the sport by her father and has since become the youngest woman in the country with a dan grade in the martial art.
“My father had been doing kendo for some time and I had started going with him to training but I just watched. As I watched them I decided I wanted to try kendo and I did. The journey had just begun,” she said.
Divana was in the winning team for the inaugural Junior Kendo Championships that took place last year. Her team, Team Samurai Slayers from the Paulshof dojo, won in the inter-club team category of the tournament, with several practitioners from the club also showing their abilities.
The tournament consisted of inter-club teams and individual competitors.
“My team and I did a fantastic job, we all had each other’s back. The junior individual competition was fun.”
Currently, in Grade 11 at Hyde Park High School, Divana also takes part in swimming and watches volleyball when she is not taking part in kendo-related activities.
Looking to the future, her dreams extend beyond South Africa as she aspires to travel abroad with the national team.
“I aspire to be on the junior South African team and go to France, then to go to the world championship for kendo.
“[To fellow young kendo practitioners] I would like for them to aspire to see a goal that is achievable, to empower them to want to get better at kendo.”
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