Karate expert from Bronkhorstspruit holds multiple titles
Winning his sixth individual Commonwealth title in front of his home crowd and family is a memory he will always treasure.
Local karate expert, Morgan Moss, competed against seven opponents at any given competition in 2021.
He was able to travel to Morocco, France, UAE and throughout South Africa.
He took up karate at the age of six when his father, who is known as a Sandan (3rd Dan), introduced him to this sport.
It soon became a part of him and something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
“What made it so special for me as a six-year-old, was that I had the chance to wear my karate suit. I never felt so big in my life.”
Moss has been competing since in South Africa and is also a competitor internationally for the past 15 years.
“Nothing compares to the way I feel when I do karate. There is always an element of fear, as a fight is not easy, but the adrenaline is something I will never get used to. It is indescribable.” He has won scores of trophies, but the experiences and memories make every win much more special.
“I have a dedicated trophy and medal room. My WKF trophy confirming I was the 2016 WKF World Premier League Champion, my gold medal from the African Championships and my six gold medals from the Commonwealth Games are my most prestigious accolades.”
“Competing in the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, which is considered the home of martial arts, will always be one of my career highlights,” said Moss.
Winning his sixth individual Commonwealth title in front of his home crowd and family is a memory he will always treasure.
“A win always feels great but the chance to participate at international level has been the biggest enjoyment,” he added. He is most certainly following in his dad’s footsteps. His father is his biggest inspiration.
“My father was a three-time national champion and a former Springbok. I always wanted to emulate him. I remember winning my first senior national title and my dad said he was happy for me but would be impressed when I got to three. He always had a way of inspiring me and pushing me to want more.”
Today, Moss holds 14 national titles in a row. His father was, unfortunately, unable to witness his son’s latest win because he passed away from Covid early last year.
Moss practices up to six days a week and leading up to a major championship, he spends close to 20 hours a week consistently training and preparing.
Moss believes in his talent, as well as hard work, ethics and discipline.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Moss is always focused on his energy on trusting the process and working hard every day to better himself and to perform at a high level.
The places overseas where he likes to compete, are Tokyo, Japan, Paris, France, Belgrade, Serbia, Dubai, UAE and Egypt.
Some core values and characteristics needed to succeed in the sport can be found in patience.
“Patience is a key factor to succeed. Many of the movements we use, take months to get technically correct and there is no easy fix.
“You need to commit and dedicate yourself to bettering yourself. Achieving a result that you have worked so hard for makes everything worth it. All the hours of training, the sacrifices, the highs and the lows – it all contribute to an amazing rush and feelings of self-worth.”
He describes his sportsmanship as adequate.
“As a karate athlete, we are taught respect, honour, integrity, fair play and learning. We often focus on either you win or you learn.
“I have a burning desire to win so naturally I detest losing. However, I am able to face defeat and give the necessary respect to my opponent.”
Karate has broadened Moss’ perspectives and taught him life lessons. Karate has taught him that there is always someone better than you and that you need to be humble in both victory and defeat.
Having the chance to travel and see the world has also taught him to appreciate South Africa and the vast diversity of cultures throughout the world.
The legacy he wants to leave behind, is to be remembered as one of the greatest as his records speak for themselves. “I do, however, also want to be remembered as an inspiration to future generations and I want to give back through coaching them.”
