Legacy Martial Arts Academy kickboxers did exceedingly well in the South African Kickboxing Championships, bagging the Senior Men’s Champion of Champions title belt and 22 trophies.
Twelve fighters of the Legacy Martial Arts Academy in Hermanus were part of the Western Cape provincial team that competed in the national championships held at the Diaz Beach Resort in Mossel Bay from 12-15 May.
Approximately 500 fighters competed in the event. Shihan Ruehan van Romburgh of Legacy reports that many fighters were a bit nervous about competing, as this was the first national kickboxing championship since 2019, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite this, Van Romburgh and his fighters did exceptionally well and brought home five national kickboxing titles. Van Romburgh was the star of the group when he won the senior men’s Champ of Champions title belt.
“We brought 22 trophies home,” he said, “five gold, seven silver and five bronze – and the one title belt.”
All the champions in the various senior men’s divisions compete against each other to be crowned the best. The same applied to the senior women’s Champ of Champions title belt.
Shihan Ruehan van Romburgh, Dylan Isaacs, Sempai Zaanru Fraser and Aiden John Brummer were selected for the national Protea kickboxing team while Gareth Cupido, Sempai Devine Januarie, Rachael Beukes, Michael Coetzee and Giovanni Momberg were selected for the national Presidents’ kickboxing team (2nd team).
Juniors can represent the national or president’s team at the Junior World Kickboxing Championship in September in Italy.
Seniors have the opportunity to represent the Protea team or President’s team at the African Kickboxing Championship from 26 to 28 August in Johannesburg.
“The winners of this African Kickboxing Championship will have the opportunity to represent the continent of Africa at the 2023 Combat Games in Saudi Arabia,” explained Van Romburgh. “This is the Olympics of martial arts and sees all martial arts sporting codes participating at these games. It happens every four years.”