SA martial arts champion set for FCMA World Championships

South African Martial Arts champion from Terenure Jaques Dicks (49) is hopeful to bag a world title on his third attempt at the Full Contact Martial Arts (FCMA) World Championships in Blackpool, United Kingdom, from November 4.

This follows a string of world championships over the past four years where Dicks was just out of reach of being the world’s best in FCMA and related categories.

He told Express his first championship was in Ireland in 2017, where he had fought his way to the final. But as fate would have it, his big toe was injured in the semi-final.

“We were so desperate to compete in the final that we attempted to seal the wound with super glue.”

Needless to say, Dicks didn’t compete in the Ireland final. Although they had sealed the wound with super glue, it burst open the moment he stepped onto the mat.

He was placed third.

In 2018 during the world championships in Portugal, Dicks injured his spine by breaking his fourth spinal vertebrae and tearing muscles in his shoulder while fighting a Canadian contestant.

“I was placed third again and underwent operations after which I had a recovery period of six months.”

Now they are at the world championships once more and Dicks is more determined than ever before.

“This year, I’m going abroad without any injuries.”

This time he has been doing more circuit training in addition to regular club training along with national fighters.

The weigh-in for world champs will commence on November 3 at Norbreck Castle Hotel, a day before the championships are set to commence.

This year he is focusing on the creative weapons category where he will perform sword routines.

“I’ve been doing the sword routines for three months now. It actually started as a joke-challenge from the president of the FCMA, Sajida Mahomed.

“Last year during the Portugal world championships, Sajida said I had a wild imagination and it would be fitting for me to compete in that area.”