How old were you when you moved to Australia, and how did you discover martial arts?

Two weeks after I arrived in Australia, I had my twelfth birthday. I
came from a small town in the Philippines where I grew up watching a lot
of martial art TV shows and films with my older brother. From flying
Kung Fu series televised after school and Filipino action movies, to
western movies such as Karate Kid, American Ninja and Kickboxer. I've
always wanted to study martial arts but we couldn't afford it and I
wasn't allowed to do it because "it's for men, not young ladies." When
someone approached my brother about karate training at a neighbouring
suburb and mum allowed him to go, I naturally insisted on going too.
After all, every young lady needs to know self-defence.

How long have you been training in GKR Karate? How has karate affected your life? What do martial arts mean to you?

I started my formal martial arts training with GKR Karate in April 1996.
Three months is the longest break I've had from training since. I enjoy
training so much because it is the only environment where I feel in full
control of myself. I love the challenge of techniques in kata and
kumite. In training I know exactly what I want to accomplish, my goals
are clear whether it be faster footwork or stronger kata. I've never
trained with the goal of beating my opponent; I always trained to
improve myself. Martial arts taught me the importance of balance in
life; and the ability to truly appreciate people. But most importantly,
it taught me that it doesn't matter what you have achieved, there's so
much more to learn and improve on. I enjoy the hard training, especially
when I am rewarded by that elusive "second wind". This taught me that
hard work is not really hard if you have fun while doing it. So while
studying for my degree, I pretended that my worst subjects were fun, and
because I "liked" to put in the hard work studying for them wasn't so
hard after all!


Who has influenced you in the martial arts? How have they influenced you?

At the start, it helped to have my brother training with me. Once we got
home we worked on our basics and constructively criticised each other's
techniques. We fed off each other's motivation to become better and
better. Sensei Nabil Fanous was my teacher for nearly all of my first
three years with GKR. Through him I learnt to appreciate the basics, and
developed a "never say die" attitude (he's renowned for his combination
drills). I don't think I've thanked him enough for it. Glenn Hutchison's
advice goes a long way for me. He makes me think and work harder by
telling me how much more I need to do. Sometimes it helps to hear the
truth that most people are too afraid to say to your face. There are so
many mentors in the martial arts scene who have helped me gain a deeper
understanding of what it means to be a martial artist ? they know who
they are.


Can you describe your recent experience of winning the NAS champion of champions?

The entire bout was a blur once I stepped out of the ring, and it still
is. I haven't seen the footage of the finals, I know I threw a couple of
reverse punches and attempted to kick, but I cannot remember the
specific attack or counter that scored. After the referee stopped the
bout and declared me the winner, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
I don't remember doing either but I'm pretty sure I had a wide grin on
my face. I shook hands and hugged so many people; teammates, martial
artists from other states and spectators. They were all very pleased for
me and I was delighted to see their smiling faces. But the one thing
that truly made me happy wasn't the trophy on my hand, or the attention
from the crowd, it was the knowledge that I gave it my best and was
rewarded. Glory is only achieved in victory when you've given 100%
effort.


Who has been your hardest opponent?

I think my hardest opponent is myself. If I lose to myself before I
enter the ring, then I can lose against anybody. I have won and lost a
lot of bouts, but there isn't one person that I always lose to. Some
bouts require a lot of mental effort and stamina, like the match against
Tarryn at the Women's Open Weight division. We were practically swapping
points, until she scored the last point just before the buzzer. Even if
I won that match, it still would've been the hardest bout of the
Championship.


What is your favourite aspect of competition?

There are numerous lessons learnt in the field of competition. Personal
development including improving self-confidence, creation and
realisation of goals, ability to concentrate on the task at hand,
ability to perform under pressure, are all important lessons. I think
the most important lesson of all is facing and overcoming the fear of
failure.


What are your career highlights?

Next to the Champion of Champions title, the second most important
highlight of my tournament career is First place in NAS NSW Women's
Advanced Continuous Sparring, Round 1 2002. It was the first time I
entered the event. I needed to prove to myself that I'm not just a point
fighter, that I can do well in continuous if I apply myself. The reason
why I didn't enter for the first three years in the team was because I
was scared. The competition looked rough. All the girls looked tough,
and the general idea I received from people was you have to be big and
strong to stand a chance. So I took it on as a challenge, I tested the
theory that you don't need to be big or tough to be successful in
Continuous Sparring, you just have to be smart with a lot of stamina.

• 2002 NAS National Champion
Women's Advanced Continuous Sparring

• 2002 GKR Australasian Champion
Women's Open Kata

• 2001 GKR Australasian Champion
Women's Open Kata

• 1999 NAS National Champion
Women's Intermediate Sparring

• 1999 GKR Australasian Champion
Women's Open Sparring


How do you prepare for the competition?

A) Training

I train hard as usual with more emphasis on technique and control. I try
to vary my training and who I attend classes with.

B) Diet

I try to eat healthier than usual, but I don't have a specific diet in
preparation for competition. I drink plenty of water and eat lots of
carbohydrates for breakfast and lunch. I eat fruit every time I think of
chocolates or lollies. I also like to have a banana before, and during
the day of competition. It helps to clear my head. To improve stamina
for Continuous Sparring I drink three gulps of water every couple of
minutes a few hours before the event.

C) Fitness
Most classes require aerobic fitness, so I'm reasonably fit for the
majority of the year.


How do you deal with your inner critic and outside distractions?
The ability to be positive about yourself is much harder than finding
your faults. I use my inner critic to propel my karate forward as it
adds tenacity to my training. When I execute sloppy technique in
sparring, I get annoyed at myself for the lack of focus in the
application. This tells me I need to concentrate more on the match at
hand. I don't have many outside distractions. I like to dance, so I
sometimes go clubbing on weekends, but I don't stay out late all the
time. Martial arts training take most nights of my week, I ask friends
to book me two weeks in advance for a night out. As for work, I don't
let it distract my training; at the same time I don't let training
distract my work.


What effect do your teammates have on your training and performance?

The last six months of 2002 was very flat with regard to my point
sparring. A lot of people remarked on the difference but continued to
give me positive feedback. Most of them believed I could take home the
Champion of Champions title. In training, I saw everyone push him or
herself harder and harder. In doing so, they also pushed me to give it
my all. It feels good to know your teammates are behind you. Whether
they're at the side of the ring cheering you on or they're behind an
encouraging voice when you start to tire in class. In the ring I feel
like I'm not fighting just for myself, I'm there for my team, my coach
and all the friends that supported me along the way.


How important is mental preparation? How do you prepare your mind for competition?

Mental preparation is what made all the difference in last year's
championships. Someone noticed at an earlier tournament that I didn't
have the desire to win (I was very flat) and asked me to decide whether
or not I wanted to be the Champion of Champions. I didn't have a direct
answer to give at the time, so the question never left my mind for the
last four weeks before the tournament. I had very long chats with
experienced people like David North, Alex Pereda and Anthony Ryan. In
the end, we all knew it was a decision only I could make. Once I made
the decision to give it my very best and make my opponent work hard to
get a point in, the difference in my attitude was witnessed by everyone.
On the day, I felt calm inside but at the same time I was itching to get
in the ring.


Have you ever been forced to use karate outside of competition?

Apart from training and competition, I never had to use my karate
techniques. I've used competition skills to win a very tight game of
lawn balls. I've used danger awareness skills to ward off would be
attackers, but I haven't thrown a single punch or kick to defend myself
or anyone else from a real threat.


How can martial arts be used to improve your daily life?

They say training produces endorphins and endorphins make people happy.
But apart from natural chemicals produced by the body, the principles of
martial arts alone can improve daily life. The self-discipline practiced
in class can be applied to develop a healthier diet. The same focus
used in training can be applied to eliminate distractions when studying
or working.


What are your goals for the future?

This year I'd like to keep growing as a martial artist. I want to grade
to Ni (2nd) Dan at the end of the year, so I will focus on my kata and
stamina. For sparring, I'd like to develop faster footwork. I intend to
challenge and apply some martial arts ideas and principles to my
training, so I will be doing a lot more reading.