Legacy Martial Arts is taking a clutch of newcomers to this year’s South African Kickboxing Association (SAKA) National Championships, alongside its most experienced fighters, fresh from victory at the Western Cape Provincial Championships last month.
The 14-strong team, led by Shihan Ruehan van Romburgh, a seventh-dan black belt in kickboxing and five-time world champion, will compete in the event in Potchefstroom from 25-28 April.
The team includes seasoned champions such as Aidan Brummer, Dylan Isaacs and Namika Pieterse, all gold or silver medallists in the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO) African Championships in 2022.
Dylan, who also fought in the WAKO World Championships for children, cadets and juniors in Venice, Italy in 2022, will be competing for the fourth time in the national championships.
It will be Pieterse and Brummer’s third outing. Keen to make their mark will be the new blood: James Banwell, Leyla Brand, Sam and Zak Bloch and Qvaro van der Westhuizen.
The kickboxers will be eager to top their achievement in last year’s SAKA championship, when an 18-member team won 32 titles. But the expense of com-peting at national and international level can be challenging. One Legacy fighter has pulled out for financial reasons. Club parents have started a crowd funding campaign on Backabuddy to help the team make it to the nationals.
At the Western Cape Provincial Championships, 22 Legacy fighters won 25 gold, 13 silver and seven bronze medals. In 2023, a team the same size took home 13 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronzes. The following fighters excelled at the tourna-ment: Shihan Ruehan van Romburgh (three gold), Brummer (three gold), Justice Luthuli (three gold), Anushca Thorne (two gold, one silver), Zius Brand (two gold), Leyla Brand (two gold), Pieterse (two gold), Qvaro van der Westhuizen (two gold), Isaacs (one gold, one bronze), Zak Bloch (one gold, two silver) Chelene Keusch (one gold, two bronze), Amalia-Elize Meiring (one gold), Sam Bloch (two bronze, one silver), Nathan van Doorn (one silver, one bronze), Emma Asary (one silver), Jason du Bruyn (one silver), Lyle Asary (two silver), James Banwell (one silver), Mason Brummer (two bronze), Werner Enslin-Roux (one silver, one bronze) and Evoque van der Westhuizen (two silver).
To donate to the Legacy Champs Fighters’ Fund on Backabuddy, go to: https://tinyurl.com/legacy-champs
