12 Feb 2019

Though it is well known that karate is a complex sport, a local youngster, Maatla Moemedi has defied the notion and continues to do well in karate against all odd.

At the age of 16, Moemedi is already a national team player.

Moemedi, who started doing karate at the age of seven in Selebi Phikwe in 2010 has managed to climb the ladder in the sport regardless of her gender.

At her age, the promising karate star has won 49 medals; 23 gold medals, 18 silver medals and eight bronze medals.

Some of the competitions she has participated in and emerged victorious include the BISA Competition in 2018 where she won a gold medal while at the Mmaphula Junior School team and a bronze medal individually.

Others include the Letlhakane Opening games in 2018 where she walked away with a gold medal and many more.

The young sportperson also participated in the International Commonwealth Karate Competitions in Durban last year and brought home a bronze medal after finishing in third position out of 20 countries that participated in the tournament.  

According to her, it was her first international game representing the country.  

In an interview, she said when she developed the love for the sport she joined Selebi Phikwe’s BDF Karate Club under Sensei Lawrence Maganelo and Sensei Mogakolodi Motlhabane.  

Moemedi said her mother had been her inspiration throughout her journey in the sport as she encouraged her to balance between her studies and sport as both were equally important.  

“It wasn’t an easy journey and when I got to standard seven my mother forced me to take a whole year break in order to focus on my final examinations.

Even though I tried to reason with her that I will jungle the two, she wasn’t satisfied and that didn’t seat well with me having to break from something that I was very passionate about,”  she said.

Her role model, she said was Thabang Setshego who used to train with her and but now in Malawi.  

Of her future plans, the sensational Moemedi said, “Though I can say my main focus is on education and wish to be an engineer, I also wish to be an internationally recognised karateka. I am very passionate about the sport.”

Moemedi called on local companies to sponsor and use her as their brands ambassador saying for her to achieve her dreams she needed their support.   

Also, she implored parents to support their children’s dreams saying one could earn a living through sport.  

Her mother, Gaolatlhe Samson said her daughter had managed to balance her studies and sport well adding that she had also won some academic awards at Mmaphula Junior School.

Samson applauded Maxis Grill Store’s managing director in Palapye for sponsoring her daughter with P7 500 to participate in the Commonwealth Competitions last year in Durban where she got a bronze medal. ENDS