Karateka to compete at international level
Two karateka from Shorin-Ryu Botukukan Newcastle have been selected to represent South Africa at the World Martial Arts Games in Canada, September 2014.
Zarina Khan and John-Day Filmalter will both be part of the South African Traditional Karate Council (SATKC) National Presidential Team.
According to their sensei, Frik Willemse, the team which Zarina and John-Day will be joining is an all style team that has been recognised by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
“As their sensei, I find it an awesome experience for them. I represented South Africa in the 10th JKA Championships in Greece, but what Zarina and John-Day will be doing is even better,” said Sensei Frik.
Both John-Day and Zarina are ecstatic about the upcoming tournament, which will test their skills against others from across the globe.
“I’m really looking forward to the experience,” said Zarina.
John-Day said that while he was excited about the trip, he also saw it as a learning experience. “We will be competing with the top martial artists in the world, so I am excited to be able to participate and see what we can bring back from an international event.”
Despite a lot of hard work ahead of them in terms of preparation, Sensei Frik said he was extremely proud of the two and whether or not they brought medals back, he has the utmost confidence in their skills.
Both Zarina and John-Day concluded by thanking their sensei for their training and assistance. “Without him, this would not have been possible,” said John-Day.
