KWF SA Junior Championships names Dorfman karateka top female
Her journey began at age 8, with her first class at the dojo under sensei Shane Dorfman. 'After my first class, I knew I immediately loved it.'
Read more: Karate kid kicks towards Tokyo dream
Training up to six times a week with Shane in Melrose, sensei Malcolm Dorfman in Parktown North, and weekend sessions with top KWF instructors, Safiya balances the demands of sport and school, facing challenges like injury and fatigue. 'I've learnt that every athlete has off days and good days, and that's okay.'
A highlight of her karate career came in 2023, when she represented South Africa at the KWF World Cup in Japan, returning with both a silver and bronze medal. 'That year, everything was focused on Japan. I trained tirelessly, and winning those medals, which I didn't expect, was incredibly meaningful.'
Safiya says karate has given her purpose and shaped who she is, both on and off the mat. 'It's taught me discipline, commitment, and balance.'
While she credits her own dedication, she also pays tribute to her dojo family. 'I wouldn't have achieved what I have without the guidance of my senseis and the support of my friends.'
As for advice to other girls thinking about joining: 'Don't be hesitant. Karate is for everyone. It teaches discipline, confidence, and self-defence.'
Looking ahead, Safiya's goal is clear: To return to Japan for the next World Cup and give it her absolute best.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
EXCLUSIVE: Tazmin Brits "feeling quite good" ahead of Women's World Cup
"So I feel good in a way, but I mean, we're having camps now to actually work on a few things. So there's definitely a lot more that I want to add to my shot selection. I don't think a person is ever perfect. I think you learn every single day. But, feeling quite good for the World Cup coming up." "Funny enough, a lot of people are saying I'm in form, but I mean, as a batter and opening batter, you always will find issues and things that you always want to work on," Brits told Independent Newspapers in an exclusive interview. With the World Cup right around the corner, Brits is sharpening her skills in the nets as the team prepares for the showpiece event. Having played ODI cricket for four years now, Brits has been able to stack up four centuries and two half-centuries in 37 matches as she has climbed up the ladder to become one of the key players in the Proteas women's side. This is despite the fact that the right-handed batter has scored two centuries and one half-century in her last seven innings in ODI cricket, a statistc pack that suggests that the 34-year-old is in good touch heading into the World Cup. PROTEAS Women opening batter Tazmin Brits believes that she has a lot of work to do to improve her own game heading into the ICC Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka later this year. VOTE & WIN! 🗳️🏏🎟️ The SA Fans' Player of the Year is in your hands! 🇿🇦 Cast your vote for the player who lit up the season and stand a chance to win 1 of 2 epic prizes, 4 tickets to any Proteas inbound match in the 2025/26 season! 🏏 🗳️ Vote now on: … Alongside Brits at the top of the order is Proteas women's captain Laura Wolvaardt, one of the most prolific batters in women's cricket. The pair are a formidable duo at the top of the order, one that will be a threat for any bowling attack in the World Cup. "We seem to be batting quite well together. I think at the end of the day, we're both very eager to put our best foot forward when it comes to the team and the team environment," Brits told Independent Newspapers. "So, whether it's me and her together, but at the end of the day, we just want to get runs and put our team in the best position as opening batsmen, especially with power plays. A lot of games I feel, are either won or lost in power plays. So, we just put our head down and we try and get as many runs as we can." Heading into the tournament, the Proteas women are nowhere near being the favourites despite finishing as runners-up in the last two editions of the ICC T20 World Cup. However, Brits believes the team stands a good chance of bringing the trophy back home. "I'm not sure if it's the world that doesn't rate us, but I definitely rate us. I think we stand quite a good chance of actually winning the World Cup. I know a lot of times people always say, you know, you want to go there to win the World Cup," said Brits. "If you don't want to do that at the end of the day, then why are you actually playing the sport? We play to, of course, win World Cups and become number one in the world. So, I actually think we're in quite a good position. "And even if the T20s were leading up to being in the finals and not winning, I think a lot of experience comes from that, whether it's T20 or ODI. I think we know what it takes to actually get to the final. And hopefully this time, you know, winning it." South Africa's first fixture in the upcoming World Cup is scheduled to get underway on 3 October against England women at the M Channaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Daily Maverick
20 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Springboks face dilemma at No 8 as Jasper Wiese's suspension complicates Rugby Championship strategy
Kwagga Smith, Jean-Luc du Preez and Cobus Wiese are the frontrunners for the No 8 jersey as Rassie Erasmus looks to plug the Jasper Wiese-shaped hole in the pack. The Springboks ticked all the boxes in the recent internationals, with 46 players receiving game time over the course of the big wins against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia. Although the move to blood new players and combinations has bolstered South Africa's depth across most departments, the situation at No 8 has been exacerbated by Jasper Wiese's untimely four-match suspension. This much was confirmed on 23 July, when SA Rugby unveiled a 37-man squad for the first two matches of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies. As things stand, there are no specialist No 8s in the group. Jasper Wiese will miss the first three rounds of the southern hemisphere tournament, including the showdown with the All Blacks at Eden Park on 6 September. It's a massive blow for the Boks, who are already without Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom — two outstanding No 8s who have been sidelined with serious leg injuries in recent months. The two matches against the Wallabies on 16 and 23 August should provide the Boks with an opportunity to settle on a back-row combination and rectify the breakdown issues that compromised their attacking momentum in recent fixtures. Ultimately, coach Rassie Erasmus will want some answers regarding his best loose trio and No 8 option before the team departs for New Zealand. Weighing up the options Although the squad is devoid of specialists, several loose forwards have played No 8 before, for club and country. Kwagga Smith and Jean-Luc du Preez have started there in the past and have played there for their respective clubs, the Shizuoka Blue Revs and the Sale Sharks. Cobus Wiese — Jasper's younger brother — has proved a valuable utility player over the years, alternating between lock and blindside flank for the Stormers, Sale and, more recently, the Bulls. Erasmus raised a few eyebrows after he backed the younger Wiese to start at No 8 against Georgia in Mbombela. The Bok coach may persist with that experiment at some point over the next three Tests, even though Wiese has two caps to his name. Stormers No 8 Evan Roos has been in and out of the Bok squad since making his debut in 2022. There has been plenty of debate around his aptitude for the position at Test level, and whether he is better suited to the openside flank position. The Boks have enough options at No 6 at present, given that World Cup winners such as Siya Kolisi, Smith and Marco van Staden are all fit and available. Smith started at No 8 against the British & Irish Lions in the first Test of the 2021 series and was routinely exposed under the high ball. When Jasper Wiese was ruled out of the big series against Ireland last year, Smith stepped into the breach and delivered a mixed showing across the two matches. Perhaps those performances showed why Smith is less suited to a starting role, as opposed to being less suited to a role at No 8. Over the past eight years, the quintessential utility player has been deployed at flank as well as No 8 in the closing stages of big Tests, as part of the Boks' Bomb Squad strategy. Removing him from the bench may take away an essential ingredient from what is a potent and evidently successful formula. Like Smith, Du Preez and Cobus Wiese cover multiple positions and are ideal Bomb Squad candidates. However, if they are to fill the void as the starting No 8, they will need to take on more specific roles at the kick-off, and on attack and defence. Both have been retained for the Rugby Championship, which suggests that Erasmus has seen something he likes in their recent performances. Back-row balance Because of injuries and suspensions, the Boks haven't been able to field their strongest back-row combination of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese over the past four matches. Kolisi missed the first three matches because of minor neck and Achilles ailments, and Du Toit featured in the second Test against Italy and the one-off against Georgia, after returning from a lengthy injury layoff. Both players are short of a gallop at this level and may need an extended run over the next two Tests, before the intensity ramps up for the clash with the All Blacks. These back-row selections will influence the call at No 8 — and it's worth noting that Cobus Wiese played alongside Kolisi and Du Toit in the most recent battle against Georgia. If fit, Kolisi and Du Toit are likely to start in Auckland. Although Kolisi has been used at No 8 by the Sharks in recent months, Erasmus has given the impression that the Bok captain will focus on the openside position while he is with the national side. Du Toit and Van Staden have also played No 8 at club level, but it would come as a surprise to see either of them starting there at Test level. There are many reasons to be optimistic about the Boks' title chances before the upcoming Rugby Championship, and in most departments Erasmus is spoiled for choice. How the Bok coaches solve the latest back-row puzzle, of course, may determine whether they realise all of their goals in the coming months, or fall agonisingly short. DM Jon Cardinelli is a freelance writer.
Daily Maverick
21 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Bok Women's World Cup preparations boosted by Vainah Ubisi comeback for Black Ferns clash
Towering lock Vainah Ubisi returns to the Bok Women fold for her first appearance in green and gold this year as the team prepare to face the Black Ferns XV with the Rugby World Cup a month away. The Springbok Women take on the Black Ferns XV on Saturday at Athlone Stadium with an eye on their World Cup preparation. The Women's Rugby World Cup — which will take place in England — is less than a month away and the Springbok Women have been handed the timely return of star lock, 22-year-old Vainah Ubisi. Ubisi missed a large chunk of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she suffered last year, and was then operated on at the start of the year. Her appearance against the Black Ferns XV — the second New Zealand side — will be her first in the Green and Gold this year as she lines up alongside Anathi Qolo in the second row in a much-changed Bok Women side from the one that took on Canada across the start of July. Qolo and Ubisi replace regular captain Nolusindiso Booi and Danelle Lochner who started against Canada in Gqeberha. The 22-year-old tighthead lock was a breakout star for the Women's Boks last year, collecting four Player of the Match awards in 2024, being crowned the MyPlayers Women's Players' Player of the Year award as well as being nominated for South African Women's Player of the Year, beaten by Nadine Roos. 'It's been a big boost having Vainah back,' Springbok assistant coach Franzel September said on Thursday. 'I'm quite excited for her.' The thought of representing South Africa at the World Cup is what kept the rampaging lock going throughout her extended rehabilitation process, with the sole thought floating around her head being the quadrennial tournament. 'When I got injured last year that's what was in my mind — if I'm going to make it to the World Cup squad, if I'm going to be back in time,' Ubisi said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. 'I did my rehab in Stellenbosch, so while I was there, the team coming in and me being around the team, I think that actually eased me a little bit. It was not easy being alone, doing rehab alone. It was tough. But I'm just grateful that I'm back and I was able to be back in time.' Rotating squad The locks aren't the only change with Swys de Bruin and his coaching team deciding to test out and continue their pattern of trying out new combinations despite South Africa's opening World Cup match, against Brazil, being exactly one month away. 'It's building for the World Cup,' September explained as the reason for the chopping and changing in the squad. 'Canada, Africa Cup, now Black Ferns, it's all part of World Cup preparation. 'We're trying some new combinations or some different combinations as we did in the Canada Test matches.' Those changes in combinations have been made with the halfbacks as well, with Tayla Kinsey and Libbie Janse van Rensburg starting at nine and 10. Roos and Eloise Webb played those positions in the second match against Canada but have been shifted to their more regular positions of fullback and outside centre, respectively. Tighthead prop Babalwa Latsha will captain the side as one of only six players to wear the same starting jersey as they did against Canada in Gqeberha. 'We wanted to make sure that everyone in the assembled group gets game time, while we also have the luxury of another match next weekend, where those with niggles can get a run as well,' said De Bruin. Captain Booi, Lochner, Sizophila Solontsi, Byrhandré Dolf and Ayanda Malinga are all recovering from niggles following the Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. 'We have made good strides this far and we are improving,' De Bruin said. 'The Black Ferns XV will be tough opponents, but that is why we wanted them here. 'We don't play against the top sides enough, so like we were against Canada, we will be tested in numerous areas of the game. The coaching staff are keen to see how this group of players respond to the challenges that the New Zealand side will bring.' DM The match starts at 5pm on Saturday at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
