TEN athletes from Combat Coaching in Doonside have been selected to represent KZN in the SA National Championships in Edenvale, Gauteng, from May 3–6.
The amateur fighters, who achieved their KZN colours, will be participating in their first mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament, in hopes of being selected to represent SA in the world championships later this year.
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“Most of the tournaments they’ve taken part in are grappling. This is the first MMA competition that is being held in about three years due to Covid-19,” said coach Morné Swanepoel.
There are various divisions in the U14, U16, U18, and the U21-and-above age categories. “There are different rules in place for each age group, especially when it comes to submissions. All participants are required to wear protective gear, such as bigger gloves,” said Swanepoel.
The round-robin format is ‘winner takes all’. The first loss means the athlete is out of the competition. “This will also count towards their record should they turn professional. It’s a good guideline to see if students have the potential to fight in the Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC),” he said.
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On top of regular class training, the 10 individuals have been training separately three or four times a week.
Swanepoel said, “A big part of the game is mental preparations. I always tell my fighters they can’t control the win or loss, but they can prepare and decide what mindset they bring into the cage. I’m confident we will come back with some selected for the national team.”
Those selected for the SA team will compete at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) youth world championships from August 2 to 5 in Abu Dhabi.
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