Absolute perfection is what it was all about for the Tuks karateka, Jesse Sim, as he prepared for the Junior and Cadet & Under-21 Championships in Santiago, Chile.
The first year mechanical engineering student will be competing in the kata competition. In South Africa, he is considered to be one of the best. He is ranked number one in the under-21 category of the individual kata as well as the team kata. Sim is however under no illusions as to the challenge that awaits him at the World Championships.
"I will have to be at my best if I want to progress to the next round. During kata competition, you can't afford to make any mistakes. That is why we have got a saying in karate about not practising until you get to do something right. You got to practise until you can't get it wrong."
To a novice, kata can appear to be dance-like drills, but in reality, they contain the fundamental principles and concepts of karate. According to Sim, the key factors include the strength, speed, rhythm, balance and power of strikes and kicks. As well as the proper expression of each technique with a beautiful, flowing motion.
"We are required to demonstrate movements that are both slow and fast. Weak and robust while all the time being utterly focussed. 102 kata routines are recognised by the World Karate Federation. As part of my preparation for this World Championships, I decided to focus on four of them. You got to do a different kata as you progress through each round.
"The way we are judged is sort of similar to gymnastics. You get judged on the technical execution which relates to your stance and how well you transition from one move to another. Your athletic ability is equally important. The challenge is always to be quicker, faster and stronger.
"The maximum score for kata is 30. My best-ever performance in South Africa was when I scored 27; however, international judges tend to be more critical. Earlier during the African Championships, I scored 24. If I can come close to scoring 22 at the World Championships, it would be mission accomplished.
"I guess as is the case in many of the other smaller sporting codes in South Africa, our most significant handicap is a lack of international competition.
On asked on the fitness requirements when competing during a kata competition, Simm can't help but use the word extreme.
"A kata competition may only last four and a half minutes, but you got to be utterly focussed for every one of those seconds. If you don't, you will make mistakes and lose points. To summarise, kata is a mental and physical challenge.
"There is, however, no other sport I ever wanted to do. That constant quest to be better than the previous time you competed tends to be addictive."
Simm will compete on Wednesday at the World Championships.
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