Tauranga 9-year-old Sabine Gemming has won a national title for Nam Wa Pai Kung Fu. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga 9-year-old Sabine Gemming has won a national title for Nam Wa Pai Kung Fu. Photo / George Novak
For many young girls, the thought of fighting can be pretty daunting.
Sabine Gemming however is no regular girl.
She fights boys and girls - and she finds it exciting and fun. As an 8-year-old, she also became New Zealand's under 10 kung fu free-sparring national champ - a titleabout 10 others, both boys and girls, were competing for.
Not only was it Sabine's very first title, it was the first tournament she had entered.
"I was so happy. I was proud, I was very tired as well," Sabine, who turned 9 soon after her title win, said.
Sabine was one of about 12 Tauranga fighters, taught by kung fu instructor Brian Barnett out of Selwyn Ridge Primary School's hall, who competed at the NZ Nam Wah Pai International Kung Fu and Tai Ji National Tournament 2019 in Wellington in September.
Barnett, a kung fu instructor with a Black Belt six degree, says Sabine has a special talent in the sport, saying it was not common for someone to win a national title in their very first tournament.
"She was up against 10 others, boys and girls," Barnett says.
"She's pretty naturally gifted. She's quite sporty, very flexible, fit and quite competitive."
Sabine Gemming, 9, loves martial arts. Photo / George Novak
He said her competitive nature was evident when after her first fight of the day, one he described as tough and a bit of a shock after only experiencing sparring in a training setting before then.
"When she did the first competition on that day she just broke into tears after it.
"She picked herself up."
After winning her elimination fights, Sabine found herself in the final against a boy in her club, which meant Barnett's fighters took the top two placings.
"I felt very proud, at the end of they high-fived each other and shook each other's hands."
Sabine said going into the final she was feeling confident and after winning her first national title, she's excited for more.
Sabine, the middle child of three, started going to the weekly classes with her dad, Jamie Gemming, nearly two years ago. They both now have a Blue Belt Red Tip.
Sabine, who also plays hockey, flippa ball, floorball and rippa rugby among others, says she has learned a couple of things about herself since taking up kung fu - "I noticed I'm a good fighter" and "I'm prepared for anything that comes my way".
Mum Rachael Gemming said the classes were a great opportunity for Sabine and her husband to bond over together and "she seemed quite happy to go along".
"She likes the freesparring and the fighting."
The sport has become quite the family affair as well, with younger brother Jack, 6, also taking up the sport. He's now graduated to a Green Belt. Rachael says she and her oldest daughter, Amelia, 12, however, are unlikely to join the trio any time soon and are happy to be supporters.
