Fariedah and Shamielah prove that age is just a number
Fariedah Hendricks (60) and Shamielah Jardien (59) decided to learn self defence and in so doing, lead by example.
POLOKWANE – Fariedah Hendricks (60) and Shamielah Jardien (59) will not allow their age to stand in their way to be active and they are adamant that everyone in the community should do the same and become fit and active.
Shamielah was inspired by the children who practised karate to join the Yin Yang Karate and Self-Defence Studio in Nirvana and her friend, Fariedah soon joined as well.
“I decided to learn self-defence and asked sensei Annatjie de Jager of Ying Yang to help me. She developed a revised exercise plan for Fariedah and I which would be suitable for our age. We started out at a moderate pace and now we can confidently say we are karatekas,” she said.
Shamielah added within the first month of training, sensei Annatjie was so confident in their ability she entered them into the TSKKIA (Traditional Styles Known Knowledge In Action) National Championship on 16 September where they won two gold and one silver medal.
“I am exceptionally proud of this achievement. My husband and sons are impressed as well as they thought I was joking when I said I will be in a karate competition. My advice to everyone is to not be afraid to try something new. You are never too old to learn, an added benefit is you learn a skill you can use if you are ever in trouble and as a bonus you get fit as well. I recommend anyone of any age to give sensei Annatjie’s class in Nirvana a try.”
Fariedah is self employed and runs the tuck shop at a school in the city. “My two daughters and grandchildren participate in karate and self-defence with sensei Annatjie and I decided to give it a try as well. At first it was difficult as there are many moves to remember but sensei Annatjie put in a lot of effort and after hours and weekend work to help us learn. When she told us we were entered into a national championship I was so nervous but she believed in us and motivated us to go out there and do our best. We did our best to my surprise we won several medals,” she said with a proud smile.
They are thankful for the effort sensei Annatjie puts into training all her students and said she made the seemingly impossible for them a reality.
“Karate is truly a family sport. Although you do your own challenges as an individual, the camaraderie and support from the people cheering you on is an amazing feeling. Sensei Annatjie puts the same amount of dedication, sweat and hard work into every class and every student. She has an undying love for martial arts and uniting the community. I am happy I made the decision to try karate, even if people thought it sounded crazy at the time. I thoroughly enjoy it and plan to learn even more,” Fariedah said.
