58-year-old athlete still going strong
If there's one thing climbing the ranks has taught her, it's that discipline and dedication are a small price to pay to be able to defend herself.
She kicks, she jabs and she keeps her dukes up as she barely breaks a sweat. She is the 58-year-old Eurika van der Watt who never turns down an opportunity to better herself.
It’s no wonder she is about to earn her second dan in karate and her brown belt in kickboxing. If there’s one thing climbing the ranks has taught her, it’s that discipline and dedication are a small price to pay to be able to defend herself.
“I used to do karate when I was young, but I stopped when well, life happened. It was only about five years ago when I took my granddaughter for karate training that I decided to get back into it,” Eurika said.
Since then she has trained with Sensei Petra Smit at the Roodekrans Karate Dojo. However, when the dojo temporarily closed last year due to Covid, Eurika was adamant to remain active. She then joined her daughter at the Ring Contact Fighting Art Club in Krugersdorp where she quickly learned the kickboxing ropes.
She fell so in love with the discipline – which is fairly different from karate – that she decided to continue with both sports.
“When the karate dojo opened again I re-joined while continuing with the kickboxing. It taught me all about physical contact where karate is more technical. I just enjoy getting tired and I enjoy new challenges – the harder the better. Being active keeps my mind clear,” Eurika said.
Even though she is not fond of competing, she managed to round up quite a few medals during competitions over the past few years. About two years ago she secured two bronze medals at the Derrick Geyer Provincial Championships and was even named the Veteran Champion of the dojo last year.
This year Eurika competed in a JKA Karate League where she and her team mates achieved silver in the Unison Kata division. In the first leg of a virtual Shotokan Karate League, she received gold for Unison Kata and bronze for her individual performance. She then received silver for her performance in the second leg. This passionate athlete is now looking forward to the third leg which is expected to take place in November.
“This is something I do for myself, not because I want to prove something to someone. Whenever I can improve my personal best, I am happy. I have been active my entire life and it contributed to my self-worth all these years. It keeps the balance in my life,” she said.
Eurika trains for at least an hour and a half up until five hours every day, and starts every day by running between eight and ten kilometres.
“As long as the Lord gives me the strength, discipline and ability to do this, I will keep on doing it. It’s nice to know that I would be able to defend myself should the situation require it. It’s important to believe in ourselves as women, and not to be intimidated. We are capable of so much more than we realise,” she said.
She would very much like to earn her black belt in kickboxing as well, and to continue with karate to see where it might lead her. She is grateful for both Sensei Petra and Shihan Alfred Grunenburg for their guidance in the sports, and hopes to learn a lot more from them in future.
