Esteemed visitors bring out the best in their hosts.
KJK Judo Club was the training venue of choice for the Seychelles national judo team. The Seychelles team was in the country preparing for the Commonwealth Judo Games which took place last week (August 2 to August 6) in Port Elizabeth. Part of the team also participated in the Francophone Games in the Congo in the same week and a select few went to Madagascar for the African Judo Championships which took place in July.
Seychelles’ administrators have had a strong relationship with the West Rand going dating back to 1998, regularly using the area as a training base. The roughly 25-member team has been staying in a guest house near the dojo, where they had three training sessions a day totaling four and a half hours.
Administrator Aselma Pilepe described their time in the country as ‘great’, but stressed they were focused on preparations, not sightseeing. The small Indian Ocean island nation sits just below the equator and the closest they get to winter is tropical rain and temperatures in the upper 20s. This adjustment to the climate has been a key part of their preparations as they look to impress in The Windy City.
KJK’s Sensei Katja Bruwer was thankful to be able to give her judoka the prolonged cultural exchange. As well as learning to communicate with their French-speaking guests, their added intensity and physicality were welcomed by KJK’s own national team representatives. New friends may have been made off the mat but both camps were focused on victory at the intercontinental showpiece.
