East Auckland’s Kate-Lynn De Klerk is rapidly making a name for herself as a rising star of the martial arts.
The Botany Downs Secondary College pupil was part of the team from the local Highland Park dojo to compete at the GKR Karate World Cup Tournament staged in Sydney, Australia, from August 9-11.
Dojo manager Nicola de Bruin previously said the competition would feature more than 1400 competitors from England, Australia and New Zealand vying for medal placements in their divisions which includes individual Kata, Kumite (sparring) and Team events.
Following the tournament, Kate-Lynn’s rightfully proud mum Nikkie De Klerk contacted the Times to say her daughter had earned three gold medals and one bronze in four categories.
She won golds in Team Kata, Individual Kata and Individual Kumite, and bronze in Team Kata.
Kate-Lynn says she’s been training in GKR Karate for four years and holds a 4th kyu (red belt) in the Japanese martial art.
“I started it because of my dad. He would tell me stories about how he would travel to competitions and represent his country. I thought that would be cool.
“The GKR Karate World Cup 2024 in Sydney was something I’ve been training for since last October.
“It’s been a long year of training three to four times a week, both in the dojo or in the gym in preparation for this tournament.”
She says she was happy with her preparation. The large number of competitors taking part in the tournament in Sydney made it at least 10 times bigger than any other she’s been in.
“The atmosphere was so loud and filled with tons of cheering and support from everyone. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Each match was very close. Sometimes it came down to one flag or one point between the winner and the loser.
“I could feel my heart pumping after every round wondering if I was about to get knocked out or if I made it through to the next.
“The bronze medal was for Team Kumite. This one I’m quite proud of personally despite it being third.
“This is because my team – Team NZ – B, was versus Team NZ – A for the bronze medal.
“I was up first and had to compete against a black belt and I ended up winning that round by one point.
“It came down to the last match to decide the winner. My adrenaline was through the roof after that. I couldn’t believe my team had won.”
Kate-Lynn says her next goal is to train toward her brown belt and reach a black belt over the next few years.
“I plan to go to a training event happening in Okinawa, Japan, in 2025 and get different experiences of training around the world.
“There’s also another World Cup happening in 2026 in the UK which some of us have already begun training for.”
She says the people she trains alongside at the Highland Park dojo have made a “huge impact” on her life.
“Some people think of karate as just a sport or a hobby.
“To me, the people I train with every week, and the senseis who train us, make it feel more than just a sport.
“It’s a Karate Family who can support each other and push one another beyond their limits and work together to overcome any obstacles. I’m very blessed to train at a dojo like this.”
