‘AGE IS NO OBJECT – IT’S THE POWER OF THE MIND THAT MATTERS’
Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng.
“I was born in Durban and my dad worked for the railways. When I was two we moved to Livingstone, Zambia, near Victoria Falls, where he worked for the railroad.
“My life there was wonderful. We had four dogs. I played outside every day and ran around with friends.”
When she was 13, the family moved back to Durban and Romy threw herself into sports, excelling in athletics, netball and swimming. “I wasn’t very fond of schoolwork but sport was always enjoyable and challenging for me.”
Her husband, Paul (65), was drawn to the feisty go-getter when they both worked in the steel industry in the Vaal Triangle. “I married an older woman because I thought she’d know how to take care of me when I got old,” he says. “The way things are going now, she’s definitely going to outlive me!”
Romy was already retired when Tristan introduced her to karate. At the time, she was a regular gym-goer but when she saw her grandson’s enthusiasm for kicking and striking, Romy decided to give it a try too.
After her first lesson at the Kuro-Obi Shotokan Karate-Do in Vanderbijlpark, she hasn’t looked back, and the discipline of kata (which involves detailed patterns of movement) and kumite (where you spar with a partner) have become as natural to her as walking and breathing.
The discipline has changed her life, Romy says.
“Before I started karate,
I was a very anxious person.
But the more I practised, the more it calmed me down. I felt more control in every aspect of my life.”
And that calm and control paid off when she was graded for her black belt (first dan) before a panel of 10 karate masters in October.
Sensei John, who’s been her instructor for the past year, sings Romy’s praises to anyone who cares to listen.
“Some people think karate is a fighting sport where you pummel each other until there’s a winner, but that’s not the case,” he tells YOU.
“Karate is about physical discipline, character and respect. You don’t use your skills and technique to fight someone but when you’re attacked, you use them to stop your attacker so you can get away.”
Romy is one of his most dedicated students and comes to the dojo every week, working hard to perfect her techniques and skills. “When she can’t make the classes, she always sends me a message to apologise. It shows the respect she has for me and the sport.”
The day she earned her first dan, the entry-level of the black belt, which has eight dans, he was especially proud of her.
“In one section, she faced a younger male opponent. He couldn’t block her attacks quickly enough so she racked up many more points than he did.”
For Tristan, his grandma is an inspiration.
“I’m incredibly proud of her. I don’t attend karate classes anymore, but we’ve been practising techniques together. And since she got her black belt I’ve been seriously considering starting again.”
IT’S the love and support of her family and friends that have given her the confidence to achieve this remarkable feat, Romy says. She’s far from done with karate but she’s also living a full and active retirement life with Paul. “We love camping, off-roading in a 4x4 and riding the open road on Paul’s Harley-Davidson.”
Romy is also a big animal lover and on Saturdays she enjoys taking her dogs, Tyson and Yogi, to the local dog school. “And I love volunteering. I go out each week to feed stray cats, which are plentiful here. Wherever I can, I catch them and take them to the vet so they can be vaccinated and sterilised.”
So does she have any more physical challenges left on her bucket list? “I want to try obstacle races,” she replies. “The kind with nets and climbing frames.”
Age is no object, she says – it’s the power of the mind that matters and she has some advice for people who might be hesitant to try something new later in life.
“Know that you can do it even if you feel you can’t,” she says. “Don’t let fear hold you back. Be brave and work on your self-confidence.”