A 12-year-old karateka from Mitchells Plain has appealed for help from the public to get her to Johannesburg where she will be representing Western Province at the South African Japan Karate Association (JKA) championships in May.
Alaine Fielies fell in love with karate when her oupa took her to a dojo while she was in Grade R at West End Primary School.
The SA JKA championships will be hosted at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena on 17-18 May. From black and brown belts, a team will be selected to represent SA JKA at the World Championships in Japan in October.
Alaine needs R6 000 to compete in Johannesburg.
The selection of the provincial team took place on 9 March at the Maties Tygerberg Campus sports hall.
She came first and second respectively in the kata (form) and kumite (fighting) divisions for 12-year-old girls’ brown and black belts and was then selected for the WP JKA team.
Alaine is currently a brown belt who won silver and gold medals in the WP trials, and winners were selected automatically to compete at the SA championships.
Proud mom Noelle says: “Alaine has always been someone who shows up to anything she has to do, she faces a challenge head-on and puts her body, mind and soul into everything she does”.
Noelle says her daughter’s coach, Sensei Jon Williams, has played a big role in her sporting career, always motivating her to do her best.
Jon says: “Alaine is disciplined and dedicated. She never misses training and her oupa brings her to training, and gives support and encouraged her from the very beginning.”
Banking details: Capitec Bank, Acc: 2198421182, Ms AJ Fielies.
yanga.yose@inl.co.za