Twelve-year-old kickboxer Tatum Monis from Mitchell’s Plain has returned home a national champion after clinching gold at the RCFA National Kickboxing Championships in Vanderbijlpark. Her club, the Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club, achieved a clean sweep, with all six of its fighters winning gold despite enduring a devastating setback just weeks before the tournament.
Assistant coach Sara Ajam explained that tragedy struck when a fire destroyed all their training equipment at head coach Jeremy Peterson’s home. “Someone targeted someone else, and he got caught in the crossfire,” she said. “All our equipment, from gloves to a treadmill, went up in smoke.”
Yet, out of the ashes rose determination and heart. “It’s six out of six fighters who gave it their all,” said Ajam proudly. “We train on weekends, on the beach, or wherever we can find space. We don’t have our own gym, but that doesn’t stop us.”
The club’s remarkable comeback was powered by community spirit. “Friends, family, and even other clubs around Cape Town supported us with second-hand equipment,” Ajam shared. “It really showed us that equipment doesn’t make the fighter, it’s the heart and soul that count.”
Among the standout athletes is young Tatum Monis, who began training at just ten years old and has since become Western Cape, district, and now national champion. “She’s unstoppable,” said Ajam. “The discipline she shows in training spills over into her academics and life; she listens, learns, and gives her all.”
Looking ahead, all six fighters have qualified to represent South Africa at the World Kickboxing Championships in Johannesburg next April. “We’re thrilled it’s local this time; it eases the financial pressure,” said Ajam. “But we still need support to rebuild and prepare.”
She appealed to the public for help: “Anyone willing to sponsor gear, equipment, or even training space would make a huge difference. We’re still rebuilding, but with heart and community behind us, anything is possible.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photos: Abdul-Aziz Abrahams & Buntu Gotywa
