A real sporting star

MEGAN van Staden (15) recently competed at the seventh JSK Karate World Championships in Terni, Italy.

With 400 competitors competing, Van Staden did extremely well bringing home two gold medals. One for kata routine and the second and more cherished medal of the two, was awarded to her after she won the gold medal in the team kumite division for 18 to 24 year olds.

She recently competed at nationals for karate, bringing home three gold and one silver medal, securing her place in the South African team. This will be the fourth time that she represented South Africa at the World Championship.

She also competes in the following sport, athletics, competed at Gauteng level, hockey and softball Eastern Gauteng colours and plays first team girls cricket.

Being a grade 9 learner, she certainly isn’t shy when it comes to hard work, whether in sport or in the classroom. The fact that she has practice almost every afternoon and two evenings a week and competitions over weekends, doesn’t mean her school work suffers. She is in the Top 10 in her grade.