Wentworth martial arts champ reaches greater heights

RANKED second in the world this year at the Kimura Shukokai International (KSI) World Championships in her age group is Nicarla Victor, 14, from Wentworth.

The resilient and reserved martial artist began her journey at Academy of Martial Arts-Samurai Durban in Wentworth, at the tender age of seven after being influenced by some of her friends who had started doing the sport and her father encouraging her to also join in order to learn self-defence that would help her empower herself during a period when the rate of kidnapping was high in the community.

“When I started out I was a bit scared and overwhelmed because there was a lot of people my age who had already learned so much and mastered so many moves whereas I wasn’t even sure of what I was doing half of the time. But with time it got a lot better and I began to enjoy myself.

I wasn’t only picking up lessons in self-defence but we also being taught self-discipline as well as how to cope with bullying.

Little did she know at the time that this would open many doors for her and afford her to compete on a world stage against other talented and competitive martial artists from around the globe at the KSI World Championships.

 

In 2016, when she was just in Grade 6, she also competed at the world championships in Germany, in Grade 7 she received her Protea colours for martial arts and also competed in the Zone 5 Africa Tournament in Mozambique, securing second place in her age group in Africa and in Grade 8 she competed yet again at the world championships in Sweden. “Competing in these tournaments has really opened my eyes and afforded me the chance to broaden my horizons. When I was younger I never thought that I would be able to travel across the world and experience all that I have thus far as a young girl from Wentworth but through karate and martial arts I have and it’s been amazing,” she said.

Asked what challenges come with the sport, Nicarla said: “You have to have a lot of stamina because this is a very challenging sport and it takes a lot of focus, discipline and training. We train long hours twice on weekdays and also every second Sunday from early in the morning.” She currently has her junior brown belt and in training for her junior black belt “My main goals are to earn my black belt and in the long-term, to become an international karate referee,” she said

The Grosvenor Girl’s High School learner now looks forward to competing at the Kimura Shukokai International (KSI) South Africa tournament this month in Cape Town.

• Ward 68 karate chops to district games
• Bluff teen black belt karateka shares her passion
• Martial arts champ chops her way to gold