Meet Birchleigh North’s very own international kickboxing champion
Winning in karate and kickboxing has become a norm for the international champion
Kempton EXPRESS had the pleasure of meeting Birchleigh North’s very own Daniel Mangoejane (46) to discuss his string of wins in martial arts.
His achievements include being a South African kickboxing champion and international World Martial Arts Games champion.
The Welkom-born champion started doing karate at the age of eight.
He was introduced to kickboxing in 2010 when he met his instructor, Shihan Willem Kruger.
Kruger trains Daniel and others at Kempton Park Indoor Sport Centre.
Daniel possesses fine tricks and powerful kicks that have earned him six SA kickboxing championship titles and his current status as international World Martial Arts Games champion since 2012.
So far he has held off many challengers who wish to dethrone him.
Between 2012 and 2017, Daniel won six championships to add to his collection of over 100 medals and at least 20 trophies he collected on his journey to earn his fourth-degree black-belt.
With his black belt he has also been bestowed the honorable title of sensei.
Daniel says he still considers himself “an ordinary man” who loves to spend time with his two daughters and two sons and help them with homework.
“I come from a very supportive family and I am lucky to have a wife who supports what I do. Together we also support our kids as they have found their own sports of choice.
“In fact, my love for these two sports has kept me looking much younger than my age. People refuse to believe it when I say I am forty-six because of how I look and the way I am – so active at work and in just about everything I do in general,” says Daniel, who works as a senior process controller handling explosives in the mining industry.
Daniel says the ancient sports of karate and kickboxing are growing on people. He is also happy to see more women partaking in these two disciplines.
“There are people who have played crucial roles in my career outside of my family and that is my shihan, Willem Kruger, and the company GNH Transport, which believes in me and sponsors my international tournaments. There is a director at that company by the name of Ricky – he saw something in me and endorsed me,” says Daniel.
