First time gold for kickboxer Caitlin
During the competition Caitlin van Wyk confidently took on her opponent in the senior ladies division in the 55-59kg weight category.
POLOKWANE – First time competing in a ring and with a small body posture, that cannot be underestimated, Caitlin van Wyk (18) brought home gold from the 2024 Nights of the Champions on Saturday in Johannesburg.
Van Wyk trains and fights under the Ring Kings Kickboxing Club. During the competition, Van Wyk confidently took on her opponent in the senior ladies division in the 55-59kg weight category, were she blocked most of the shots that came her way, and fought to break through her taller opponent, Charny Murphy’s shield throwing blows, winning all three rounds.
The kickboxers fought for 12 minutes in total, having breaks in between to cool off.
“When I won, I was shocked and amazed, there was a lot of energy and adrenaline going through my body. It was not the first time in the ring for my opponent, but yet I managed to defeat her, and I’m proud of that. Afterwards I felt like a completely new person. We’re also a Christian orientated club, so I prayed before I went into the ring, this gave me more courage and motivation to win,” she said.
Coach Mark Clarke and sensei Antoinette who is also her mom, say they’re both beyond proud of the way she handled the fight.
“Caitlin trains hard every single day. She’s always had a natural talent and she adapts to different techniques quite quickly. She just has to keep her mind focused on how far she wants to take this sport, then she’ll be able to compete in the Olympics one day,” Clarke said.
