This year has been another great year for the judoka from Laerskool Kenmare.
The school won the Schools League trophy for Big Schools for the seventh time in a row!
KJK Judo has been in existence for 21 years and since 2002 Laerskool Kenmare has been the champions in the Big Schools or Super League category 10 times.
The school came second in 2002 and fourth in 2006.
All judo schools on the West Rand participate against each other in the league tournaments. Schools are divided into groups, depending on the number of pupils at the school doing judo and categorised as small (1-20), medium ( 21-40) and big schools (41 or more children doing judo). This year Kenmare beat Maragon Private Schools into second place with a whopping 111 point lead.
But Kenmare judoka also performed superbly on provincial and national level. During July this year eight boys –Alrich Rust, Franco Els, Pierre van der Merwe, Ferdinand van den Heever, Neil Aikman, Tian Vorster, Jade Powell and Kyle Wolter – were selected to represent Western Gauteng at the South African Open Judo Championships, which were held in Port Elizabeth.
Alrich achieved a first place for fighting and kata, Neil and Tian won silver medals for fighting and Tian also won a silver for kata. Pierre finished in fourth place. In the team event the provincial Under 9 boys side had four Kenmare boys in the team, namely Neil, Tian, Kyle and Jade. The total number of boys in the team is nine, and the boys won the gold medal in the nine-team event.
During October several judoka were selected to participate in the South African Primary Schools Tournament, which was held at the Portuguese Hall in Turffontein. Children took part in either the Novice Tournament (non-provincial players) or the Advanced Tournament (provincial players).
At this tournament children represented their schools and Laerskool Kenmare’s name certainly was held high. The Kenmare judoka won many medals. Glenn Jooste won the gold medal in the Novice Event, and in the advanced tournament Tian Vorster, Neil Aikman and Alrich Rust won gold medals.
Ferdinand van den Heever won a silver medal and Franco Els and Jade Powell came back with silver medals. Kyle Wolter ended in fourth place, with Otto van Eden and Juan Els fighting well, but being unplaced.
At the annual awards ceremony Glenn Jooste and Ferdinand van den Heever received merit awards for all their hard work and steady improvement throughout the year. Neil Aikman won the award for most promising judoka, Jade Powell for perseverance, and Kyle Wolter for most improved judoka.
Franco Els won the overall KJK award for perseverance and persistence, and Alrich Rust was awarded the overall Primary School Sportsman of the Year award for winning gold medals at the SA Open Tournament, SA Kata Tournament as well as the SA Schools Tournament.
