The kickboxing club, Triple Threat Dojo, took part in their very first Muay Thai tournament in July, achieving remarkable results for newcomers to the sport.
According to coach Wade Rendal, the club entered 11 fighters into the Knockout Nations competition as part of their new affiliation with the South African Muay Thai Organisation (SAMU).
“Being our very first Muay Thai event, we were a bit apprehensive going into it,” says Wade. “We had less than two months to prepare and tension ran high in the lead-up to the event.
“Luckily our hard work and dedication paid off and our fighters reaped the rewards.”
Triple Threat fighter Wihann Nieman kicked off the morning roster for Triple Threat with a strong showing that ended in a draw.
Chloe Assad, who only had three weeks to transition from kickboxing to Muay Thai, put on a masterful performance to take the win in her fight.
Next up was Thomas Junior Ralekgokgo, who put on an impressive performance against a skilled and experienced opponent but had to be satisfied with a loss, while JD Moolman achieved a hard-earned victory in his fight.
In the evening roster, Lian van Zyl battled it out in a close fight that came down to one point. Unfortunately, he ended up being docked a point for excessive contact, which cost him the match.
Brett Heslop employed his superior boxing skills to secure a solid victory by technical knockout.
Janu Hesselink put a lot of heart into his bout, fighting hard despite a bloody nose, and suffering a narrow loss. Similarly, Thando Mahlangu lost his bout after putting on a brave fight against a much more experienced Muay Thai fighter.
Lwandile Msutu, who faced a much bigger opponent, did not let this stop him, taking an impressive win. Litha Miti put his superior endurance to good use to take the win in his match, as did teammate Jordan van Niekerk in his light heavyweight fight.
Wade is very proud of his dedicated fighters. “With very little time to prepare, they put their heads down and worked hard. Their commitment is visible in the results achieved.”
