Seven judo medals for Team South Africa at the Region 5 Youth Games in Lilongwe, Malawi
How Judo has helped players to win in life
By GARY LEMKE in Lilongwe
Judo is one of those “minor” codes that doesn’t get much airtime in a country with a fixation on the “Big 3” of football, rugby and cricket. As a sport, it struggles to compete in the media space and public consciousness and that’s not going to change anytime soon. However, just like Michaela Whitebooi showed when winning gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, it is a sport which throws up success stories wherever you look.
In fact, every judo player who walks through the doors of a dojo and bows before and after fighting an opponent is a winner. Sometimes you have to look beyond the scoreboard because far more important than winning on the mat is winning in life.
Team South Africa picked up seven judo medals at the Region 5 Youth Games in Lilongwe, Malawi, with two of them being silver and five bronze. They are all worth their weight in gold, because they came against the odds. Not just the odds of higher-graded opponents, but from what life has thrown at them into their teenage years.
Take 18-year-old Wilfred Potberg, for example. He only started judo less than two years ago and found himself thrown into international competition in Malawi. That’s not the exclamation mark to his story. He is a yellow belt, and it’s rare to see a yellow in international competition where there are black belts wrapped around the waists of the majority of the judo players. “After yellow, I go to orange, and then green, blue, brown and black,” he said before helping Team SA to a silver medal in the mixed team competition, where he beat his Malawian opponent by Ippon, before losing to his Angolan counterpart in the final.
That is also not the exclamation mark to his story.
Potberg, who lives and goes to school in the small farming village of Riviersonderend on the Garden Route, lives with his aunt and uncle, who he says adopted him. Things aren’t as idyllic as they look from the N2 as you drive past. “There’s a lot of violence there, it’s rough. There aren’t many guns, but there’s a lot of knives and stabbings. I started judo, under Sensei Celton Hendricks, because I didn’t want to get into that environment.
“I was 16 when I started and things have gone well. I beat a brown belt to win the SA title (55kg) in Gqeberha and I got selected for these Games. The more I learn the higher I’ll go.”
Potberg played scrumhalf for his schools first XV and he also played golf, but says it became too expensive for him. But he has no regrets. “Judo has taught me self defence, self discipline and self respect. If someone comes to me with a knife … if I’m too far away from him I will go home. If he is close enough I’ll defend myself. I’m not scared.”
He can’t remember his mom – “she died when I was three” – and he doesn’t know his father. “That’s why I have grown up with my aunt and uncle.” Next year he goes into Matric, a modest, determined and thoroughly decent young man making his own way in life.
As is the “baby” of the squad, 17-year-old Willemien Olifant, who tips the scales at all of 44kg.
She is also rising up the grading ranks, having started judo five years ago and progressing to a green belt.
“I’m hyperactive, so sport has always been my thing,” she says. “In my past a lot went on, and I’d do boxing, netball, hockey, rugby, any sport to be busy. Then I found judo. I started to enjoy it and it taught me discipline.
She is originally from a small Free State farming town of Koffiefontein, with a population of under 10,000. Then she moved to the brighter lights of Bloemfontein.
“I was sent to a school of skills because I’m more active than academic. I live in a childrens’ home in Bloemfontein – Ons Kinderhuis – and they’ve also given me a chance to dance. I love dancing. In five years time I’d like to be a dance teacher and travel the world doing dance teaching. I want to go far in life and have enough money to be financially secure. I don’t want to be rich, just to have enough.”
She’s a pocket rocket of energy who also says judo has taught her enough that she would be “fine if someone comes at me with a knife”. She has a light shining in her eyes and while her teammates are grappling on the practice mat she talks about her joy for dancing. “Christmas is coming and we (Ons Kinderhuis) are going to be dancing for people who are living with HIV Aids. We have a dance theme and it’s called Hope. It started during Covid-19. A lot of people died from Covid and we go dancing to try to help people and make them happy even though there’s so much bad around them.”
Sinqobile Shongwe is an isiXhosa-speaking 16-year-old who is starting Grade 10 at Morningside High School in Gqeberha next month. He has been doing judo for half his life, since the age of eight, and practices five times a week. Hailing from the township of Zwide – the same which delivered Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, the name of which brings a proud smile to Shongwe’s face – this is his third international competition with South Africa.
He was part of the Team SA squad at last year’s Games in Maseru, Lesotho, but the event was cancelled due to an outbreak of Covid-19 and the members returned home early. “I think the coaches have seen my talent because I’m still working towards my black belt. I have worked very hard for the last eight years and I combine judo with my schoolwork. My parents take me to school and then I go home to do homework and then I go back to judo every day.”
Judo’s gain is football’s loss. “I do like to play soccer at school and I’m a striker. My favourite team is Manchester City but judo is the sport that I really love.”
Photos: ROGER SEDRES
How Judo has helped players to win in life
By GARY LEMKE in Lilongwe
Judo is one of those “minor” codes that doesn’t get much airtime in a country with a fixation on the “Big 3” of football, rugby and cricket. As a sport, it struggles to compete in the media space and public consciousness and that’s not going to change anytime soon. However, just like Michaela Whitebooi showed when winning gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, it is a sport which throws up success stories wherever you look.
In fact, every judo player who walks through the doors of a dojo and bows before and after fighting an opponent is a winner. Sometimes you have to look beyond the scoreboard because far more important than winning on the mat is winning in life.
Team South Africa picked up seven judo medals at the Region 5 Youth Games in Lilongwe, Malawi, with two of them being silver and five bronze. They are all worth their weight in gold, because they came against the odds. Not just the odds of higher-graded opponents, but from what life has thrown at them into their teenage years.
Take 18-year-old Wilfred Potberg, for example. He only started judo less than two years ago and found himself thrown into international competition in Malawi. That’s not the exclamation mark to his story. He is a yellow belt, and it’s rare to see a yellow in international competition where there are black belts wrapped around the waists of the majority of the judo players. “After yellow, I go to orange, and then green, blue, brown and black,” he said before helping Team SA to a silver medal in the mixed team competition, where he beat his Malawian opponent by Ippon, before losing to his Angolan counterpart in the final.
That is also not the exclamation mark to his story.
Potberg, who lives and goes to school in the small farming village of Riviersonderend on the Garden Route, lives with his aunt and uncle, who he says adopted him. Things aren’t as idyllic as they look from the N2 as you drive past. “There’s a lot of violence there, it’s rough. There aren’t many guns, but there’s a lot of knives and stabbings. I started judo, under Sensei Celton Hendricks, because I didn’t want to get into that environment.
“I was 16 when I started and things have gone well. I beat a brown belt to win the SA title (55kg) in Gqeberha and I got selected for these Games. The more I learn the higher I’ll go.”
Potberg played scrumhalf for his schools first XV and he also played golf, but says it became too expensive for him. But he has no regrets. “Judo has taught me self defence, self discipline and self respect. If someone comes to me with a knife … if I’m too far away from him I will go home. If he is close enough I’ll defend myself. I’m not scared.”
He can’t remember his mom – “she died when I was three” – and he doesn’t know his father. “That’s why I have grown up with my aunt and uncle.” Next year he goes into Matric, a modest, determined and thoroughly decent young man making his own way in life.
As is the “baby” of the squad, 17-year-old Willemien Olifant, who tips the scales at all of 44kg.
She is also rising up the grading ranks, having started judo five years ago and progressing to a green belt.
“I’m hyperactive, so sport has always been my thing,” she says. “In my past a lot went on, and I’d do boxing, netball, hockey, rugby, any sport to be busy. Then I found judo. I started to enjoy it and it taught me discipline.
She is originally from a small Free State farming town of Koffiefontein, with a population of under 10,000. Then she moved to the brighter lights of Bloemfontein.
“I was sent to a school of skills because I’m more active than academic. I live in a childrens’ home in Bloemfontein – Ons Kinderhuis – and they’ve also given me a chance to dance. I love dancing. In five years time I’d like to be a dance teacher and travel the world doing dance teaching. I want to go far in life and have enough money to be financially secure. I don’t want to be rich, just to have enough.”
She’s a pocket rocket of energy who also says judo has taught her enough that she would be “fine if someone comes at me with a knife”. She has a light shining in her eyes and while her teammates are grappling on the practice mat she talks about her joy for dancing. “Christmas is coming and we (Ons Kinderhuis) are going to be dancing for people who are living with HIV Aids. We have a dance theme and it’s called Hope. It started during Covid-19. A lot of people died from Covid and we go dancing to try to help people and make them happy even though there’s so much bad around them.”
Sinqobile Shongwe is an isiXhosa-speaking 16-year-old who is starting Grade 10 at Morningside High School in Gqeberha next month. He has been doing judo for half his life, since the age of eight, and practices five times a week. Hailing from the township of Zwide – the same which delivered Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, the name of which brings a proud smile to Shongwe’s face – this is his third international competition with South Africa.
He was part of the Team SA squad at last year’s Games in Maseru, Lesotho, but the event was cancelled due to an outbreak of Covid-19 and the members returned home early. “I think the coaches have seen my talent because I’m still working towards my black belt. I have worked very hard for the last eight years and I combine judo with my schoolwork. My parents take me to school and then I go home to do homework and then I go back to judo every day.”
Judo’s gain is football’s loss. “I do like to play soccer at school and I’m a striker. My favourite team is Manchester City but judo is the sport that I really love.”
Photos: ROGER SEDRES
