Despite dyslexia and daily challenges, 17-year-old Jago de Bruijn dominates kickboxing, bringing home multiple medals and preparing for the World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
George, South Africa (08 October 2025) – Jago de Bruijn, the only South African to compete at the recent Flanders international Kickboxing tournament in Belgium, returned home having made an incredible mark.
Despite being the sole representative for the country due to funding constraints, he propelled South Africa to 11th place in the medal rankings, bringing home four gold medals, including the Junior Male Grand Champion trophy, and one silver medal.
Jago’s dedication and relentless training with Sensei Chayse at SASL and the Divinus Club in George paid off in spectacular fashion.
He returned to training immediately after arriving back in South Africa and went on to dominate the Western Cape Championships on 4 October, adding more medals to his growing collection.
Upon returning to South Africa, he received a hero’s welcome, with family and friends waiting to celebrate his incredible achievements.
Jago is the current South African Kickboxing Champion in the under-94kg Low Kick, Semi-Contact, Light Contact, and Team Event divisions, and also holds two African Continental Championship titles.
Living with dyslexia has not stopped him from excelling. Despite the challenges of navigating his learning difficulty while balancing training and a full-time apprenticeship as an auto electrician, he continues to impress.
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Looking ahead, he has already begun preparing for his next major challenge, the WAKO World Championships for Seniors in Abu Dhabi this November.
The young athlete continues to seek assistance to help cover expenses for travel, accommodation, training, and participation at the Abu Dhabi Championships. Those wishing to support him can contribute via his BackaBuddy page, helping ensure that South Africa remains represented on the global kickboxing stage.
Jago is inspiring other young athletes to chase their dreams, regardless of the challenges they face.
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