At the KWF World Championships held in Tokyo, a young South African athlete named Barrett Flinner achieved remarkable success by winning three silver medals in karate.
Despite being one of the youngest competitors in his category, Barrett took part in the tournament just one day after his birthday.
He finished second in three disciplines: U18 unison kata, 14–15 individual kata, and 14–15 jiyu ippon kumite. Although still very young, Barrett has been training for nearly ten years, and he attributes his success to this long-standing discipline and dedication.
Barrett also emphasized that staying calm is a crucial element during competitions:
“Before a big event, I remind myself that I’ve trained hard. I tell myself there’s no reason to be nervous. I focus on my breathing and trust my practice.”
He added,
“It felt incredible to wear the South African badge and show what we can do. Winning three silver medals made me even prouder.”
Despite his young age, Barrett shared that he is also interested in padel, robotics, and scuba diving, showing his curiosity and passion beyond the dojo.