Winning medals in judo, passing exams and making a difference in kids’ lives are not Charné Griesel’s biggest challenges. For her, it is finding enough hours each day to do what needs to be done.

Last weekend the Tuks BA Law student won gold at the Yaounde Open African Tournament in Cameroon. Once back in Pretoria, she had no time to celebrate. Griesel had to study as she had to write two exams.

To top it all, she contracted Covid. She started feeling ill when in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago.

“I got tested. The result came back negative. So, I competed. Back in South Africa, I tested positive for Covid,” she revealed.

Griesel was down and out for a week. But as said, you can’t keep a good woman down.

She is off to Japan this week to compete in Tokyo Grand Slam Tournament. There is a lot at stake. If she wins one fight, there is a real chance she will qualify to fight in the Master’s Tournament in Israel. Doing so will mean she will be one step closer to qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Still, that is not all. Griesel is equally passionate about sharing things with and helping people less privileged than her. It led to her starting to coach kids in Eersterust on Fridays. She hopes to inspire kids through judo to aspire to a healthy lifestyle and avoid using drugs.

The Tuks judoka believes that when kids are bored, they experiment with the wrong stuff.

“Judo is the perfect sport to make a difference in kids’ lives. We abide by a moral code of eight values: courtesy, courage, honesty, honour, modesty, respect, self-control and friendship. If we succeed, we are definitely going to change young lives,” she explained.

Griesel and her fellow coaches’ passion seem to pay dividends. During the recent South African Schools Championships, two youngsters, Kemodeen Adams and Egan Kaliers, won gold.

Despite being continuously time-pressured, Griesel will never complain.

“I have learned not to think too far ahead. The challenge is to have a definite plan for each day and to be focused. When studying, I give 100%. The same goes for when I train. I can’t afford any half-measures. To me, coaching in Eersterust is never a schlep. I get inspired by the enthusiasm and passion of the youngsters. There is no bigger reward than an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives,” she concluded.

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