Austerville karateka makes Tokyo Olympics squad
I aim to take this to a professional level. It's always been what I wanted to do.
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THEY say dynamite comes in small packages and it certainly applies to 11-year-old Kylé Cotton who is an explosion of talent on the karate floor.
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The karate kid is already making huge waves in the sport and at her young age has already received her South African colours. Training at the Academy of Martial Arts in Austerville, she has done exceptionally well over the last few months and recently qualified to participate in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Kylé and her fellow karateka will soon jet off to Cape Town, where they will fight for a spot to go to attend another competition in Sweden in September.
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The Assegai Primary pupil’s dedication to her sport shows a passion that most adults wished they possessed. “I aim to take this to a professional level. It’s always been what I wanted to do. My love for karate, or kumite which is the fighting, came from me wanting to do something different. I wanted to learn something new and interesting,” said KylĂ©.
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Sensei, Carl Webster who has watched her grow into the brilliant student that she is becoming, is especially proud of her achievements. “She ranks in the top five both at school and at the dojo. The correlation between the two is noticeable and if I had my way, every child would learn karate as a way to teach them discipline in the classroom and in life. KylĂ© is a phenomenal young girl and has exceeded the expectation of everyone.
She is a force to be reckoned with and her love and passion for the art of karate is inspiring. She has a bright future ahead of her,” he said.
WATCH: Kylé Cotton in action