Kaitlyn and Bayliam kick the competition in Abu Dhabi
They both fought vigorously during the championship and also had some rollercoaster fun with their dad.
Mixed Martial Arts fans should keep their eyes and ears on the international fighting mats for Kaitlyn and Bayliam van Wyk.
The young martial artist siblings recently competed in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) South Africa 2022 Youth MMA World Championships in Abu Dhabi on August 18.
Kaitlyn competed in the girls’ under 57kg youth-B division and Bayliam in the boys’ under 37kg youth-C division.
They both fought vigorously, with Kaitlyn earning herself a bronze medal and Bayliam a fifth place in the world.
When asked what his favourite memory of the trip was, Bayliam laughed and told the story of how he, his sister and his father went on the fastest rollercoaster in the world.
On the mat, his favourite moment was when he had the opportunity to put the South African flag on his back after his last fight.
“It made me feel invincible,” he said.
For Kaitlyn, the most fun memory of the trip also involves roller coasters.
“When we got off the one roller coaster, my dad said that the ride was one of the worst decisions in his life,” she said while laughing.
Her favourite moment in the competition was, however, more serious.
“In my fight against Ireland, I was very motivated. It felt super awesome when they placed the South African flag on me and raised my arm as the winner. The fight also showed me areas I can train and improve on,” she said.
Their father, Andri van Wyk beamed with pride as he talked about their Abu Dhabi adventure.
“It was the first time my children ever competed in such a big arena. We received unbelievably great support from South Africa. I was very proud as a parent when parents from other countries said that the children from South Africa are very well-mannered. In MMA, you do not just get a medal. You have to work for it. During the competition, Kaitlyn hurt her arm and kept telling me that she wants and is going to fight,” Andri said.
The competition in Abu Dhabi was one of many for these siblings as they will also be competing in other competitions in September.
Opponents of these siblings should enter the fighting mat cautiously because nothing can stop them in their championship journey.
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