Alive and Kicking put on a strong showing at the South African Championships in Cape Town on April 24, returning with multiple podium finishes and two national champion titles.

The Joburg south-based club fielded six of its own athletes, with a total of eight fighters competing across various weight divisions, including one external fighter representing the club.

Coach Juante Steyn said the squad competed in highly competitive divisions and delivered performances that reflect their consistency and discipline in training.

The athletes competed across several weight classes:

• Samuel “Junior” Moloi (U75kg)

• Kabir Valla (U71kg)

• Haleliseng “Lele” Kolwane (U63.5kg)

• Mohammed Yusuf (U63.5kg)

• Dehan Calitz (U81kg)

• Khensani Mabuza (U60kg)

Steyn said preparation for the national event was built on an already strong training base rather than major changes ahead of the competition.

“Our regular training standard is one of the highest in the country, so we therefore do not need to modify our routine much in order to perform at these elite events. The performance of the fighter therefore rests on their commitment, consistency and discipline during preparation,” he said.

Highlights and setbacks

He highlighted Kabir and Dehan as standout performers on the day.

Kabir faced a significantly bigger and more experienced opponent, producing a strong performance before the bout was stopped.

Dehan, meanwhile, was impressed by winning two fights via unanimous decision through dominant displays.

“All bouts were action-packed, but if I must say, Kabir and Dehan had the best performances,” Steyn said.

“Dehan faced two good fighters and won by unanimous decision by outperforming his opponents.”

Despite strong performances across the squad, some fighters experienced setbacks in tightly contested matches.

Juante said Kabir and Junior expressed disappointment after their bouts were stopped in the finals due to nosebleeds that could not be controlled within the allotted injury time, with safety rules bringing their fights to an early end.

Weight management also proved challenging for Kabir, who had to cut 2kg on the day of the weigh-in to remain eligible to compete.

In a rare occurrence, teammates Haleliseng and Mohammed faced each other in the final, competing for first and second place.

The club ultimately secured eight medals across all entries, including two gold and four silver from its own fighters.

Haleliseng and Dehan claimed national champion titles, while visiting fighters representing the club added a further gold and silver to the tally.

Steyn said the overall results show clear progress within the club compared to previous years.

“The fighters have improved compared to previous years through experience and realising their true potential,” he said.

Looking ahead, Alive and Kicking will turn its attention to the upcoming tournament at the Barnyard Theatre in Vereeniging on May 30, where the focus will remain on refining technique and fight intelligence.

“We will maintain our current level of training and add some fight-smart techniques that should result in the fighters being victorious at the Barnyard tournament,” Steyn said.