Flying kicks and perseverance were on full display when Lian van Zyl, a young fighter from Laerskool Kenmare, competed at the World Kickboxing Organisation (WKO) Open World Championship, giving his all after years of hard work and dedication.

He finished first in the 13–14 age group and now qualifies for the Unified Championships later this year. Calm and composed, he donned his gear and spoke to the Krugersdorp News.

Lian first caught the News’ attention in 2019 when he began his kickboxing journey. His relentless effort has since established him among the best young kickboxers worldwide.

According to Lian’s father, Heino, he started making a name for himself at the Ring Contact Fighting Art kickboxing studio in Krugersdorp. Beginning in 2019, he quickly rose to the top of his class and has excelled in competitions over recent years.

At the time, Lian was barely a metre tall but still held his own against taller fighters.

During the Great North Two Championships, he competed against slightly older boys and earned a silver medal in the Ring Contact Fighting Art division.

According to the official tournament website, the WKO Open World Championship is an international kickboxing event hosted by the WKO, attracting thousands of athletes from various countries who compete for world titles across age, gender and weight categories, in both ring (Ringsports) and mat (Tatami Sports) disciplines.

This event is significant for the WKO as it offers national and international teams the chance to gain recognition.

Heino added with a smile that they had enrolled Lian in classes to help control his temper.

“It clearly did wonders for me,” he concluded.