Cresta karate kid earns a black belt and Japan Karate Association South African colours

Local karate kid, Catherine Law (11) can boast earning her Japan Karate Association (JKA) South African colours.

The Cresta resident is the youngest karate practitioner at Els Karate with a black belt but said this is just the beginning of her karate career.

Speaking to the Randburg Sun while training students younger than her, at the dojo in Waterval Estate, Catherine explained that she started taking up karate at a very young age.

“When I was four I could already pull myself up, so I was strong and started karate straight away,” she said. “It has helped me get fit and stay fit. I also know how to defend myself.”

Catherine added that she suffers from ADHD and karate has helped her manage her concentration and energy levels.

In seven years of excellent karate, and earning higher-ranked belts along the way, Catherine proved herself time after time to win the fighting and kata categories in many tournaments.

Collecting her JKA SA colours at the end of last year, and her black belt in April, Catherine’s sensei since the very beginning, Andrew Els, was full of praise for the youngster.

“Catherine has always been full of life – a go-getter,” he said. “[She is a] friendly, happy child who took to karate from the word go, always asking questions and learning fast.”

He continued to describe Catherine as a natural karate practitioner who is helpful in her training of those younger than her.

“I am proud to have her in my dojo.”

Catherine joked that there is only one drawback to karate: the pain she feels after all the exercise she does.

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