DUNDEE KZN: Age is but a number for purple belt Mpume
Anyone interested in taking up karate can contact Sensei Vishen on 071 410 9768
Mpume Mchunu is proof that you can do anything you put your mind to, no matter your age or circumstances. In 2018, having already reached her 50’s and being a mother of two, Mpume decided to take up karate.
Her inspiration to take up the sport came after having to wait most of the day for her daughter to compete at karate trials in Johannesburg. She also realised that if she took up the sport herself, the wait in future wouldn’t be so long as well.
“I watched the seniors competing, people who were older than me. And I thought, if they could do it, then so can I.”
Mpume then approached some of the Sensei’s to enquire if she could take it up and not before long she was training under Sensei Vishen Bhoonpershad in Dundee. Being an already active individual, taking to the sport came quite easy for Mpume. “I picked up the moves quite easy but it took me time to master the proper form needed for karate.”
Mpume has worked her way up steadily since joining and now holds the rank of purple belt. And while many have been impressed by Mpume’s rise, it is to be expected considering her sporting credentials. “I coach, umpire and play netball. I also play tennis and table tennis and I run marathons and have run the Comrades twice.” Inspired by the belief that age is but a number, Mpume is eager to be successful at no matter what sporting code she takes on.
While her job as a Senior Education Specialist can be demanding and limits her time to train at time, she doesn’t let it stop her. She uses Google to help perfect her katas and even enlists the help of her kids, both of whom do karate, to help her practise when she can. It is that dedication and drive that has seen her reach the levels she has today.
“If you set your mind to something, don’t wait for someone else’s approval. Just do it. You can’t say you can’t do something unless you try.”
Anyone interested in taking up karate can contact Sensei Vishen on 071 410 9768. All Covid-19 safety protocols are being followed during training.
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