Tebbutt Academy shines at final tournament of the year

Lambton-based Tebbutt Academy has once again demonstrated its strength on the national stage after collecting an impressive 43 medals across two major martial arts tournaments in June and July.

The academy first competed at the MASA National Championship and Festival in Pretoria, where its athletes claimed an outstanding 30 medals. Six team members then travelled to Durban to compete in the Full Contact Martial Arts Association (FCMA) National Tournament on July 11 at the Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre, returning with a further 13 medals.

The MASA National Championship and Festival, sanctioned by Martial Arts South Africa (MASA), attracted more than 1 000 competitors from across the country.

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Athletes competed in categories including traditional forms (kata/pattern), traditional weapons forms, traditional combat weapons sparring, Combat League Ring Low Kick and Combat League Ring K1 Light.

Tebbutt Academy finished the championship with six gold, 18 silver and six bronze medals, bringing its total to 30 podium finishes. The event also serves as a platform for the awarding of national colours, with successful recipients expected to be announced at a later stage.

“We had over a thousand participants at the Pretoria event, and our athletes secured numerous first-, second- and third-place finishes,” said kancho Alex Tebbutt.

“It shows that we have built a solid foundation and that our preparation for the competition paid off.”
The success continued in Durban, where six academy members collected 13 medals.

“Taking 13 medals home from Durban was no easy feat,” said team representative Aadil Essuf.

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“Vaughn Sukha competed in only his second tournament, while Amani Essuf once again delivered an exceptional performance,” said Aadil.

Aadil won gold in continuous fighting, while his daughter, Amani, claimed three gold medals in points fighting, continuous fighting and kata, as well as a bronze medal in the weapons division. Johan also secured gold in points fighting, with the team earning several additional silver and bronze medals.

“Our overall performance was excellent because many of our competitors fought against black belts,” Aadil said.

“As a father, I am especially proud of my daughter’s achievement in defeating a black belt competitor in the final of the points continuous fighting division.”

He added that he was equally proud of the team’s efforts.

“As the senior member accompanying the team, I am pleased with everyone’s performance. We will continue training hard and making the club proud.”

The academy is now preparing for its grading on August 1, one of the most important dates on its annual calendar.

ALSO READ: Tebbutt Academy shines at final tournament of the year

Students will have the opportunity to progress to higher belt rankings while demonstrating the skills they have developed through their training.

The academy also places a strong emphasis on self-defence, particularly for women. Students attempting to earn their black belts receive a special invitation from the kancho to participate in the grading process.

“Once you earn your black belt, you also take on the responsibility of helping to train and mentor other students. Our goal is to continue growing the club,” Aadil said.

Looking ahead, Aadil hopes to earn his third brown belt before eventually grading for his black belt. His daughter is also preparing to progress from her first to her second brown belt.

Aadil said his martial arts journey began during his childhood in Durban. After moving to Gauteng, he enrolled his daughter at Tebbutt Academy for self-defence classes before deciding to return to the sport himself.

“I fell in love with karate all over again,” he said.

“Now my son is also part of the club and will officially join the full training programme when he is old enough.”

Despite receiving invitations to compete internationally in recent years, including an opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom last year, financial constraints have prevented the academy from participating.
“Representing South Africa is the highest honour. We hope sponsorships and financial support will allow us to compete internationally in the future,” Aadil said.