SPORT: Tuks judoka wins gold, sets bar higher
In order to have a chance of representing the country in next year's games in Tokyo, she needs to be ranked 20th.
Tuks judoka Michaela Whitebooi’s Olympic dream is starting to become a reality after she won a gold medal during the African Championships in Cape Town on Thursday.
Seconds after she defeated Hadjer Mecerem of Algeria in the under-48kg final, Whitebooi’s tears started flowing.
Over the last few years, she had to overcome quite a few disappointments and all that kept her going was an absolute hunger of wanting to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games.
“Being an African champion is special. I never thought it would come to this. It had always merely been a dream, but now I realise that hard work and perseverance do pay off,” said Whitebooi.
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By winning the gold medal, Whitebooi might have improved her international ranking by more than 30 positions. Next week she could place as high as 34th.
She needed to be ranked 20th to have a chance of representing the country in next year’s games in Tokyo.
She dedicated her medal to her mother and coach for pushing her beyond her limits
“I want to dedicate my gold medal to my mom, Minnie, and my coach, Nikola Filipov. When my dad passed away, my mom had to take over the roles of both parents. It was a challenge to her then, and it still is. In spite of not having a proper job, she finds a way to put food on the table and manages to push through even when times are tough. She has been my biggest fan from day one,” Whitebooi said.
“I can’t thank coach Nikola enough. He guided me through the tournament. There were moments during my fights when I was at a loss of what to do. He always remained calm and gave me the advice I needed to win.”
Whitebooi described her first fight against Mauritius’s Priscilla Morand as her toughest.
“The mistake I made was allowing her to dictate things on the mats. Instead of fighting as usually would, I was adapting to her style. Coach Nikola was the one who turned things around by pointing it out. I still don’t know how I managed to execute the counter that led to me winning.”
Whitebooi was hoping to compete at the world championships later this year and maybe two to three international tournaments if she can find the proper finances.
“One of my most significant drawbacks at the moment is a lack of international experience. That is why it is essential that I get to compete internationally. The judokas from different countries got different styles and techniques, and I’ve got to be exposed to them to become more confident.”
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