Both performed well at the Karate South Africa national championships earlier in the year, and based on their achievements both were selected to represent South Africa at two prestigious World Karate Federation tournaments. Only the sports committee could award official Protea colours to a South African karateka.
Van der Merwe was selected to represent South Africa at the Zone 6 Karate Championships which was held in Namibia in June.
This tournament saw her going up against 10 other Southern African countries, including the likes of Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Zambia. She held her own and was rewarded with a bronze medal for kumite, a fantastic achievement considering the calibre of karateka she was up against.
Sensei Russell Sim, who is an A-class referee for Karate South Africa, also earned his Zone 6 refereeing qualification and has now been selected to referee at the World Karate Federation African Continental Championships to be held in Tunisia in September.
Sempai Jesse Sim was selected to represent South Africa at the World Karate Federation Youth Cup held in Corfu, Greece in July.
The youth cup included countries from all the European and Middle Eastern states, as well as some as far afield as Russia and Australia.
This is the second time Sempai Jesse has achieved his official Protea colours for karate, having already represented South Africa at the Commonwealth Karate Championships held in Australia in 2011.
